Rebound
by WolfGirl7411
Summary: Leaving the broken dreams of her past behind, Liz moves to the outskirts of La Push to settle her late Aunt's estate and start over. Enter Embry Call, a man she feels inexplicably drawn to, and life becomes complicated again. Can she release her past and let him in? And can he trust in their bond and tell her the truth?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks for reading! This is my first foray into the Fan Fiction world, and into fiction writing in general. I'm a journalist by trade, so it's fun to write something completely different for a change. **

**In this story, the wolfpack are well into their mid-to-late twenties. It's mostly true to canon, with some slight differences. For example, Jacob imprinted on Bella and she chose him over Edward; Claire is of appropriate age for Quil to date and thus is Emily's cousin rather than niece. The**** Cullens left Forks years ago, but occasionally are in touch with the pack when necessary. **

**Your feedback is welcomed!**

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The windshield wipers on the old, battered truck barely slip-slopped the drizzle away, making it even more difficult for Liz to see the road as she searched for the apparently very well-concealed turn-off to the La Push automotive shop. She had been in town three weeks now and could no longer stay in denial that it was time to bring her aunt's old truck in to be looked at. It had probably been years since the 1965 Chevy had been driven, let alone had a tune-up. If she were honest with herself, she was surprised the damn thing had even started.

Three weeks…three weeks since she had sublet her apartment in Texas, packed her meager belongings and Marble—her loyal yellow Lab—in the car, and began the trek north to Washington. It had seemed like ages ago, but she wondered if that was because she was now living in Forks, the town that seemed to be perpetually stuck in a time warp. It wasn't that she minded being in Forks. If she were honest with herself, part of her was grateful for the break from the frenetic pace she typically sustained in Dallas—always on the go, always something to do, somewhere to be, so many distractions. Having this time to sit with herself and just…BE…was probably a good thing.

And yet, the down time was equal parts blessing and equal parts curse…it offered plenty of time to think about her life, and the broken pieces it had been shattered into only months before.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she finally spotted the dirt road turn-off ahead. When Kim—the waitress in the local coffee shop whom Liz had recently befriended, and who had recommended this particular auto shop to her—had warned her that the road would be easy to miss, she hadn't been kidding.

Liz eased onto the road and soon saw a dilapidated gray building on the right—Three Wolves Auto. Three gray wolves were on the hand painted logo, one of them baying at the moon. "Cute," she smirked. Although she hadn't been in town for that long, she had learned pretty quickly that the region celebrated the wolf, the spirit animal of the Quileute tribe located in La Push.

She set the parking brake and turned off the stuttering engine. Climbing out of the truck, Liz watched as an enormous, bare-chested man emerged from the garage. "Hello," she called.

"Hey there, how's it goin'?" he greeted her, with a brilliant, sunny smile. "I'm Jacob," he grinned, extending his hand.

"Liz," she smiled back, mentally exclaiming to herself, 'WOW!' as she looked him over. In her 24 years of existence, she didn't think she had never seen such a perfectly chiseled specimen: short black hair, caramel skin, washboard abs, perfectly defined muscles from head to toe. And so…tall.

"Nice to meet you Liz," he continued. "What brings you here today?"

"Well, I need to have my car looked at. You guys were recommended to me by a woman named Kim?" she asked questioningly.

"Kim!" he beamed. "Any friend of Kim's is a friend of mine. How do you two know each other?"

"From the coffee shop," Liz explained. "I've been taking advantage of their free WiFi. I arrived here a few weeks ago and still haven't been able to get Internet installed in my place yet. You can only order so many lattes until you have to befriend the person who makes them," she joked.

"Nice," laughed Jacob. "I wondered why I hadn't seen you around before. This place is too small to go unrecognized for long."

Liz relaxed under his friendly demeanor. "What seems to be the problem with your truck? Which is awesome, by the way," he admired, walking past Liz and running his hands along the sides of the classic car.

"It belonged to my late aunt," Liz admitted, walking over to join him. "It hasn't been driven in who knows how long; she had stopped driving it several years before she passed away. To be honest, I didn't even think it would start. I've been driving it around, but I think it's about to go kaput, so I figured I should bring it in."

"Well, you made the right decision bringing it to us," joked Jacob. "Emb is going to go nuts over this baby; he has a special place in his heart for the classics. Hey, Embry, get your ass out here!" he called, reaching over to pop open the hood.

Liz looked over to the garage where another impossibly tall and muscular man emerged, wearing cut-off shorts and wiping his hands caked in car grease on his white t-shirt. While he was more covered than Jacob, it was clear that he, too, had been blessed with the same physical attributes. _Do they put human growth hormone in the water on this reservation?_ she thought to herself.

"What's up, Jake?" the man named Embry asked, making his way over to the truck.

"Embry, this is Liz; Liz, Embry," Jake introduced, turning his attention back under the hood.

"Hi there," Liz said, extending her hand and looking up at his face. As his hand met hers, she felt a shock of electricity jolt through her palm. She looked up to meet his eyes, which were suddenly locked on hers. For a moment, the two stared at each other, both of them seemingly forgetting where they were.

"Whadda you think about this truck, man?" Jacob asked, tinkering under the hood. "Are you dying, or what?"

His question went unanswered. Suddenly aware of the silence that had fallen, Jake looked up from the engine he was inspecting, only to do a double-take at the look on Embry's face as he stared at Liz. THAT look. He recognized it all too well; he had seen it amongst his own pack brothers; hell, he had even experienced it himself. Liz looked equally entranced, although she seemed to be slowly coming back to her senses. "Oh, greaaat," Jacob half-groaned, half-chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Embry. Hey, Embry," Jacob good-naturedly cuffed his friend on the shoulder, interrupting the silent reverie that seemed to have overtaken his mind at the moment. "Think you can turn your attention over this way for a minute?" he smirked.

Embry's eyes slowly came back into focus. Shaking his head as if to clear the cobwebs, he turned to Jake. "What's that?" he asked.

"The truck," Jake smirked. "I was asking how you liked the truck. Although you've clearly found something you like even better," he taunted in a low voice.

Giving Jacob a dirty look, Embry finally tore his eyes from Liz and walked over to the black vintage truck, looking it over admiringly. "Is this…?" he asked, looking between Jake and Liz for confirmation.

"Yup," Jake grinned. "1965. Can you believe it? Belonged to her aunt."

"Wow," exclaimed Embry, his eyes turning back to stare once again at Liz. "Amazing," he whispered, as he met her eyes again.

"Liz knows Kim," Jacob informed Embry, as he continued his exploration under the hood. "She just moved here from…where did you say you moved here from, Liz?" Jacob asked, looking up.

"Uh, I didn't," she replied. "But, Texas. Dallas, to be exact."

"Dallas? Yeehaw!" called Jake, pretending to twirl an imaginary lasso.

"What brought you all the way up here?" Embry asked softly, but needing to know everything he possibly could about this woman who had just appeared in his life and suddenly managed to turn it upside-down.

Suddenly Liz became uncomfortable. She shifted her feet and ran her hand through her hair. "Oh, it's a long story," she deflected, her voice trailing off. Looking up, she took note of Embry's worried eyes and Jake's puzzled expression. It had been a perfectly normal question; she knew she owed them some sort of reassurance. "My aunt passed away recently and left me her house," she explained. "I've been through quite a few other big life changes the last six months or so…and when I was up here for her funeral, there was so much to take care of in dealing with her estate, so I made the decision that it was time for a change of scenery. I came back to Texas, packed up my stuff, turned right back around…and here I am," she shrugged. "I'm a freelance writer, so I can work from pretty much anywhere. That made it a lot easier to do."

Embry's eyes bore into Liz's, as though trying to read into her thoughts. There was something lurking underneath the surface, a sadness that she was trying to cover but couldn't quite conceal completely.

She stared back, equal parts intrigued and overwhelmed by his intense gaze. Jake cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to hear about your aunt," he said, glancing over at Embry. "Were you two close?"

"Not so much," Liz admitted. "In fact I hadn't seen her in years. But, she had no kids of her own, so she considered me her only heir. I got everything—from the truck to the house to the piles and piles of random tchotchke she accumulated from rummage sales over the years," she laughed. "Seriously, what compels someone to buy a taxidermied fox?"

The men chuckled, Embry continuing to stare at Liz as though trying to uncover her soul. "Well," said Jacob, slamming down the truck's hood, "Creepy taxidermy aside, the good news is that the truck she left you is actually in pretty decent shape. She must have taken damn good care of it over the years. There are some belts that need replacing, and I'd like to tinker with the engine a little, but you've got yourself a solid piece of transportation."

"Awesome!" Liz cheered. "So how much do you think it'll cost me for all of that?"

"Any friend of Kim's is a friend of ours," said Jacob. "So you get the special friend discount. Although something tells me Embry here would probably be willing to take care of this for you free of charge. I get the feeling he thinks it's a pretty special…vehicle," he said ignoring the venomous glare he was getting from his friend who had suddenly ceased his staring at the woman before him.

"Oh, no, I can't let you do that," Liz blustered. "Seriously, I'm happy to pay the going rate. I appreciate your being able to get me in so soon." She smiled shyly at Embry, who turned bright red and suddenly became very interested in polishing an invisible speck of dirt he found on the bumper.

Liz and Jacob negotiated a rate—she insisted he come up in price—and he estimated the car would be ready in a couple days. "In the meantime, do you have other transportation?" he asked.

"I sold my car in Dallas," she admitted. "Mine was on its last legs, and I didn't need two cars, so I decided to rent a car to drive up here and take my chances on the truck. I figured, worst-case scenario, if it was too expensive to fix, I could always sell it to an antique car dealer and get something else."

"Oh, you can't sell that car," admonished Embry, suddenly looking up. "It's a classic!"

"See, what did I tell you?" grinned Jacob. "Careful, Liz. Something tells me someone might have a little bit of truck envy."

"Well, if you can fix it, then you can drive it any time," she smiled at Embry, who had returned to staring at her, as if intent on reading her soul.

Once again, Jake interrupted the silence. "Where do you live?" he asked. "Can we give you a ride home?"

"Oh," Liz stammered, tearing her eyes away from Embry's, "I don't live more than a few miles through the woods over here; I can walk home."

"No!" exclaimed Embry suddenly. As if startled by his own reaction, he softened. "I mean…it's been raining off and on all day, you'll catch a cold. Not to mention it's getting dark…it's too easy for you to get lost…or get caught off guard by an animal in the woods."

"Yeah, why don't you let Emb give you a ride home," said Jacob helpfully. "We were about to close up for the day anyway. Right, Emb?"

"Right," he whispered, looking at Liz. "Please. Will you let me take you home?"

"Sure," she gulped, finding herself incapable of denying him and, for some inexplicable reason, incredibly excited to be alone with him. "Just let me get my bag out of the cab."

While Liz retrieved her belongings out of the truck, Embry jogged towards the office to pick up his keys, while Jake said his goodbyes and went back to the office to finish up some paperwork. He smirked as he watched Embry trip over himself in his haste to get back to Liz.

She stepped down from the cab, backing right into Embry's chest. She had no idea he had come up behind her. She lost her balance and stumbled.

"Sorry—thanks," she blushed, as he steadied her fall. His hand lingered on her shoulder a few beats, only to graze slowly down her arm. Her skin tingled at his warm touch, then broke out in goosebumps.

"It's ok," he reassured her, his warm breath behind her ear. "Ready to go?"

"Yep," she said, mentally trying to get hold of herself. She couldn't understand what was happening. There was something about Embry that made her simultaneously nervous and excited. She felt her heart speed up. She waved goodbye once again to Jacob, who was watching out of the garage window, and walked over to Embry's pick-up, where he was holding open the passenger door for her.

"Thanks," she said, taking his hand and stepping into the cab.


	2. Chapter 2

"Fuck," Embry thought to himself as he walked around to the other side of the truck. He had imprinted. He. had. freaking. IMPRINTED. It's not that he didn't know it was always a possibility, lurking under the surface. It's just that, after all these years, the 26-year-old had stopped anticipating it. He had watched the other wolves over the years as they'd one by one found their soul mates; he'd dated around, and even considered starting a serious relationship with one woman, but in the end, it came back to the cloud of imprinting that constantly hung over his head. He couldn't bring himself to put any woman he cared about in the same position that Sam and Emily had been in all those years ago. Sure, Leah had eventually gotten over the hurt and betrayal, going on to imprint herself, but Embry had never forgotten the pain he experienced through her mind connection. He couldn't imagine risking someone else's heart like that.

And so he had been alone all of these years. He would go out from time to time with the younger wolves before they had also imprinted, but, the occasional hook-up aside, he felt more of a chaperone to them than anything else. So much time had passed since Embry had phased, he had resigned himself to being single forever. Some days he even wondered whether he would be the rare exception of the wolf pack, the one man who didn't imprint.

But now…SHE had walked into his life. With her soft brown hair, chocolate eyes, and olive skin. And that smile. That sweet smile that lit up her eyes and made him want to do anything to keep her happy, to make her laugh, whatever it took so that she would keep that smile on her face just for him.

"Uh, Embry? Is everything ok?"

His reverie was suddenly interrupted by her voice, the only sound that could get his attention. He realized he had been sitting in the driver's seat, staring at the ignition for close to two minutes already.

Shaking his head, he laughed, embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry, everything's fine. I was just…daydreaming there for a second."

"Oh. Well, I was just saying that my house is up the road just a few miles, heading towards Forks," she smiled, shyly. "I'm just over the border."

"Let's go," he smiled back at her.

As he eased his truck onto the dirt road, he could hear the increased speed of her heartbeat. Was she afraid of him? Or was she as nervously excited about being with him as he was with her? The possibility made him warm inside.

"So, how do you like being in Forks so far?" he asked, trying to ease the tension and make casual conversation.

"It's different," she admitted. "The rain and clouds are taking some getting used to. In Texas it was pretty much always sunny. I do miss the sun, although I do not miss the summer heat," she added, laughing.

"Have you had a chance to meet anyone in town yet? Besides Kim, I mean," he asked, hoping her answer would segue perfectly into his next suggestion…a plan had been forming in his head.

"Not really," she said. "People have been friendly, but I haven't really run into a lot of people my age. Oh…well, actually," she paused, laughing, "with the exception of Mike."

"Mike?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady while his inner wolf growled. Was this the same Mike he knew? Had he somehow gotten to her first?

"Yeah, Mike Newton, I think he told me his name is. I met him in the coffee shop last week, and ever since then, he's there almost every day at lunch, always coincidentally sitting near my table," she shook her head. "He's kind of a tool."

Embry beamed at her assessment of Mike, while simultaneously cursing the guy. He still—after all these years—seemed unable to take a hint. He was going to have to talk to Kim about making sure he seated himself elsewhere. "Yeah, I know Mike Newton," he said. "He tried to date Jake's wife Bella for a while; wouldn't give up. 'Tool' is a pretty accurate word to describe him," he explained. "He must be excited there's some new blood in town…someone who's not yet aware of his reputation."

Liz laughed. "Well, unfortunately for him, he's a little too transparent to fool someone for long. Nice enough guy, but—oh, hey, my house is right up here on the left," she interrupted, pointing to the two-story yellow house they were slowly approaching. It was set back from the road by a long, gravel driveway. A spacious yard was surrounded on all sides by the forest, affording some privacy to its inhabitants. Embry could see a yellow dog looking out the window at them.

"Nice place," he said, turning off the car as it rolled to a stop in front of her house. "Cute dog."

"Aw, thanks, that's Marble" she said. "And yeah, it's nice house. I haven't been here since I was a little girl, so it's been weird to suddenly own this place. I've been flooded with all of these childhood memories since I've been back here. Makes it a little harder to think about selling it."

"Why would you sell it?" Embry asked, confused. "Wouldn't it just be easier to live here than find another place?"

"Oh, it would be easier. I'm just not sure I'll be staying in Forks long term," she explained.

Her words made his heart and lungs constrict so tightly he had a hard time choking out his next question. "Oh. So you're planning to move back to Texas?" She couldn't leave him. It would just be too cruel.

"Honestly, I don't know. I don't know if I'll stay here, or move back to Texas, or even go somewhere else. Everything in my life feels up in the air right now," she said sadly, as though her mind was now remembering something that made her own chest constrict. "I'm just taking it one day at a time," she continued, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. "Cleaning out my aunt's house is a responsibility that fell to me, so I'm getting that done—no easy feat—and then I'll see what's next."

An awkward silence fell between them. She couldn't tell him why she had really left Texas; it hurt too much to talk about it, and he probably wouldn't care anyway. She also couldn't understand why she suddenly felt the need to reassure him that she was here to stay, that her life was now in Forks and she had no plans to go anywhere else.

"Well, listen," he said, taking a deep breath and gathering his courage, "If you want to explore the area while you're here—you know, so you can make an informed decision about staying here and all—I'd be happy to show you around. I've lived here my whole life."

Liz's heart fluttered. She couldn't understand why his offer made her so happy; she barely even knew him and yet she felt uncontrollably drawn to him. "I'd like that," she said softly. "I've been wanting to get out and do things, but it's hard when you don't know anyone. Kim had mentioned there were a lot of great hiking trails around the reservation, but we haven't managed to set a time to go—my schedule is super flexible but hers, unfortunately, is not."

"Well, what are you up to on Friday?" asked Embry. "I have to work in the morning but maybe we can pack a lunch and go for a hike around noon? Your truck should be ready by then, too. I'll bring it over." He waited with baited breath to see what she would say.

"Friday…" she mused. "Friday would be perfect. It's a dat- I mean deal," she corrected herself quickly. "Why don't you pick me up here?"

"Perfect," he replied. "See you then."


	3. Chapter 3

"So I heard you hit it off with Embry and Jake yesterday…particularly Embry," Kim teased Liz the next morning, refilling her coffee and pulling up a chair so she could sit across from her. The morning rush had ended and there were only a few patrons left in the quaint little shop, mostly regulars who, like Liz, took advantage of the free WiFi and bottomless refills.

Liz's cheeks flushed. "Wow, word gets around quickly," she mused. She took a long sip from her mug, willing the caffeine to circulate quickly through her body. She had not slept well; Marble had been up all night barking at what she was assuming was some sort of animal outside.

Kim laughed. "Sorry, it's just that Jared is good friends with those two, so he heard about your visit yesterday. They're all still drooling over your truck."

What Kim didn't say is that Liz was all anyone in the pack could talk about. The evening before, after dropping Liz off, Embry had phased and run patrol around her house, his wolf unable to stay away. She lived just outside of the reservation, outside of the borders the pack regularly patrolled. Although there had not been serious vampire trouble for some time now, the wolves every now and again snagged an unsuspecting cold one who had made the mistake of treading on their land. Embry's wolf was drawn to protect Liz; he had to make sure there were no traces of a vampire trail—new or old—around her house; he wanted to mark her land with his scent so that any supernatural passerby would know they were being watched.

Paul and Seth were their running regular patrol that night. Both were confused as to why Embry was phased but running outside of their borders—that is, until they saw the events of the day play through his thoughts. As much as he tried to hide them, all Embry could think about was Liz: their meeting that day, her soft brown hair, those beautiful chocolate eyes, and the fact that he was going to be seeing her again in just a couple more days.

"Well, well, well," smirked Paul. "I never thought I'd live to see the day. Embry Call, you dog! Welcome to the ranks of the imprinted!"

"Shut it, Paul," Embry growled, circling back around to Liz's house. His wolf had decided he would sleep in the woods just behind her backyard that night. He could not leave her.

"She's pretty, man," said Seth appreciatively. He looked up to Embry like a brother and was much more tactful than Paul.

"Yeah, she is, so when are you gonna bag that hot piece of –"

"Paul!" bellowed Embry in his head. Embry's tone temporarily shut Paul up, but that didn't stop him from calling Jared the moment he phased back, eager to gossip like a little old lady. Sam and Emily just so happened to be finishing up a late dinner at Jared and Kim's house, so they got the full scoop as well. Sensing that something was up, Leah had managed to pull the information out of Seth when they switched off patrols, and Jacob couldn't help himself from sharing the news with Quil.

By morning, the entire pack, as well as their imprints, knew that Embry Call had imprinted on Liz Turner. Kim was ecstatic; she really liked Liz and was thrilled at the prospect of her sticking around Forks and joining their little family. She had been waiting impatiently all morning for the chance to sit down and pump Liz for as much info as she could.

"Jake and Embry seem like really nice guys," Liz said to Kim casually, trying to figure out how she could find out more about Embry without seeming too obvious.

Little did she know, Kim was primed that morning to dish out everything she knew about the man in question. "They are; they're the best. I've known them for a really long time. Embry in particular is a real sweetheart. I'm glad you're letting him show you around La Push. He knows this place like the back of his hand; spent most of his life roaming around the forests with the rest of the guys."

"He mentioned he's lived here his entire life," mused Liz. "Does he have a big family around here?"

"Not really," Kim replied, with a hint of sadness in her voice. "It's just him and his mom. They've had it pretty rough. He had to start working when he was in high school to help her pay the bills; he took a job in a garage and that's how he and Jake got started working on cars. Embry, Jake, and their friend Quil—who you haven't met yet but probably will soon; he's the third co-owner of their shop—are thick as thieves." Kim refrained from mentioning that Embry had also long been known as the reservation bastard, and that he may, in fact, actually be half-brothers with Quil, Jake, or Sam.

"I could tell those two went way back when I met them yesterday," agreed Liz. "How long ago did they open their shop?"

"About three years ago, I believe," said Kim. "They now have more business than they know what to do with; they've got a great reputation in town for being honest and fair and doing a good job. Embry in particular has been a really good businessman. He's a smart guy. He's done really well for himself."

Liz continued to sip her coffee, absorbing the information about this man whom she had only just met but was utterly fascinated by. She wished she could understand why she was so drawn to him. After leaving Texas, after saying goodbye to…HIM…she had not expected to be so enamored with someone so soon, least of all in this tiny nothing of a town.

"What's got you quiet all of a sudden?" Kim asked, breaking Liz out of her reverie.

"Nothing, I'm just…Kim, can I be honest with you about something?"

"Of course," Kim replied, looking concerned.

"Embry…I know this sounds totally ridiculous, but… there was something THERE yesterday. An energy, I can't explain it."

"I don't think that sounds ridiculous," Kim reassured. She smiled slyly. "From what I hear, Embry seems to be feeling the same way."

"The thing is," Liz continued, "it scared me. I don't know if I'm…"

"If you're what?" Kim prodded.

"I don't know if I'm ready to get involved with anyone on any level right now. I'm…I just…I just got out of a long-term relationship, someone I was engaged to, actually," Liz admitted.

"Ah…is that why you moved to Forks?" asked Kim.

"Partially, yes. I mean, my aunt passing away and leaving me her house was just strange, coincidental timing, but it also gave me an escape that I really needed. I needed to get away…from him, from grieving the life that I thought we would have together. I needed to be out on my own, see what kind of a life I could forge for myself. And although I think Embry seems great, and there seemed to be a connection, I am kind of second guessing our…date?—if you want to call it that—tomorrow. I know it's just a hike, and I know that this sounds like I'm reading too much into this whole thing, but it felt like more. When I took him up on his offer, the look on his face…"

"Liz, look," Kim said, reaching forward to take her hand. "There is no need to pressure yourself about anything. Let tomorrow be nothing more than what it is: a hike with a new friend. I'd be lying if I said it didn't sound as though Embry was interested in getting to know you on a more personal level, but I can also promise you that he will respect your boundaries. He'll be whatever you need him to be right now, even if that's just a friend."

"I just want to be fair to him…and to me," Liz said quietly.

Kim squeezed her hand, looking up to see a new customer waiting at the counter. "I need to take care of this guy," she said, "but I'm always here if you need to talk. Don't overthink it. Just have fun."

Liz watched Kim walk away, wondering how she seemed to know so much. Sighing, she turned back to her computer and tried to focus on her work.

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**A/N: So we're moving the story right along. Thoughts? Suggestions? Reviews are very much welcomed!**


	4. Chapter 4

Embry finished working on Liz's truck Friday morning; it was all he could do to not drive over there the moment he was done. He had refused to let Jake and Quil touch the truck, much to their amusement. After tuning the engine and replacing a few belts, Embry checked over his work multiple times. He wouldn't stop until he was satisfied that the vehicle was safe for Liz to drive. Jacob and Quil had laughed at him, mocking his "over-protective puppy love."

"Dude, you've checked the engine about 15 times; I think if you were going to find anything you'd have discovered it by now," snarked Quil.

"Quil, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you insist on replacing an almost brand-new engine for Claire because it was making some noise that only you could hear? pointed out Jake.

"That was different," said Quil.

"And how, exactly, is that different?" asked Jake.

"Because it was MY imprint. I'm talking about EMBRY's imprint."

Embry took that moment to chuck the wrench he was using directly at Quil's head. Quil easily caught it before it smacked his temple, and laughed. "In all seriousness, man, I'm happy for you. It's about damn time."

"So what's your plan for this afternoon?" asked Jake, wiping his dirty hands on a towel.

"Taking her for a hike and picnic. Heading up the trail that leads to the shoreline. I thought that might be a nice spot to stop," Embry said.

"Well, let's hope the weather holds out," Jake said. "Supposed to be storms later."

"Dude, it's the Northwest…that's all it does here," exclaimed Quil. "Besides, a little downpour might work in his favor…he can find a little shelter out of the rain, hunker down for a while...and by 'hunker down', I mean down and dirty…"

"Guys, enough," admonished Embry. "I'm nervous enough as it is."

"You'll be fine, man," counseled Jake. "She's your imprint. She may not know you well yet, but she KNOWS you. It's supposed to be easy."

"Jake, you of all people should know that imprinting isn't always 'easy,'" contradicted Quil. "How long did it take for Bella to finally accept your imprint? And what's easy about imprinting on someone who lives in another town? I had to wait until Claire finished school to even be able to see her on a regular basis, not mention having to rely on the mercy of Emily to get her here."

"My point is that we become whatever we need to be for them," asserted Jake. "No, Bella didn't accept the imprint right away, but you can't deny that our relationship—our being together, in whatever form it's been—has always been as easy as breathing. And other than the long distance you dealt with at the beginning, it's not like you've exactly had a rough run with Claire, Quil. Hell, she was practically ready to move in with you the moment you looked at each other. Just be yourself, Emb. It will all come together."

"There was something about her, something that made me think something bad has happened in her past, something she's running away from. What if she decides she has to keep running and moves away?" Finally, Embry had spoken the fear that he had been trying to suppress in his thoughts.

"One day at a time, man," counseled Jacob. "You're not the only one feeling the pull of the imprint; she's got to be feeling it too, and the more time you spend together, the stronger that pull will feel. Something tells me she won't be having any thoughts about leaving Forks after a few weeks."

"But I don't want her to stay here because of some kind of magical compulsion," argued Embry. "I want what's best for her; I want her to live the life that she wants."

"Of course you do—you're her imprint," soothed Jake. "Like I said: Take it one day at a time. Don't overthink it. Get to know her. Be what she needs."

Jake's words played over and over in Embry's head as he took Liz's truck to be waxed and detailed. He wanted it to look as nice as possible for her (not to mention he really did love driving it). When he finally pulled up to her driveway at noon, he was ready to see what the day had in store.

He walked up the driveway, hearing the sound of Liz's dog barking. He had realized the night he slept outside her home that the dog must have smelled him nearby; he seemed to have barked on and off through the night. Embry felt guilty for being the cause of all the commotion and keeping Liz from getting a good night's sleep, so he had kept his distance the next night—staying far enough away to keep Marble calm, but close enough so that he could be nearby, should something happen.

Liz opened the door, her vivacious smile lighting up her entire face. "Hi!" she greeted, stepping aside and letting him in. Just then, Embry was tackled by the boisterous yellow Lab.

"Marble! No! Sorry, Embry," she said, embarrassed. "It's funny, he typically doesn't lunge at people like that." She watched as Marble sniffed Embry from head to toe, his tail held up curiously.

"He probably smells the meat I was cutting earlier," Embry offered, hoping she would buy the excuse and that Marble wouldn't be freaked out by him. He knelt down to scratch the large dog behind the ears. "Hey pup," he cooed. "How's it going?" Marble sniffed Embry for a moment more and then seemed satisfied, finally wagging his tail.

"So, I wasn't sure what you were packing for lunch, but I bought some veggies and fruit and made us some cookies," said Liz as she busied herself putting a small cooler into a backpack.

"Perfect," said Embry, standing up and reaching for her bag. "I made some sandwiches and brought drinks; that will be perfect." He apprised what she was wearing: GoreTex hiking gear from head to toe. "You look like you just stepped out of an REI catalog," he teased. "That's not the look I would have expected from a Texan."

"Yeah, there was definitely not a lot of opportunity to wear hiking gear when I was living in Dallas," she laughed. "Oh, and by the way—giving me a head's up that Mike Newton just so happens to run the only sporting goods store in town might have been nice," she admonished playfully, gathering her belongings.

Embry growled. Newton. How could he have overlooked the fact that Liz would probably need hiking gear and would ultimately end up at his family's store? Who knew what the jackass had said, especially when he found out Liz was going hiking with someone else. Did she tell him she was going hiking with someone else?

"Oh no. I didn't even think—Did he bother you?" Embry asked, trying not to let his anger show, lest she think it was directed at her. He could kick himself.

"Eh, not really. He was SUPER helpful, of course, picking out all the gear I needed—he gave me a pretty nice discount as well—and then he asked who I was going hiking with. I mentioned your name and the look on his face…heh, well, I take it the two of you are not the best of friends?" Embry nodded in confirmation.

"Right. That's what I thought," she said, zipping up her backpack and slipping it on her shoulders. "After he rang me up, he asked me out to dinner for tomorrow night."

"Oh, really?" Embry asked, trying to act nonchalant but knowing that the look on his face gave him away.

"I let him down easy," she smiled. "He _did_ give me a discount, after all."

Embry laughed out loud, feeling reassured. "Way to play it smart, just in case you need to add to your wardrobe down the road. Are you ready to go?"

"Let's do it."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Finally...the date! Enjoy.  
I own nothing. **

* * *

Embry and Liz crossed over a particularly craggy part of the shoreline, hands touching slightly as they walked side by side. Once again, he felt a jolt of warm electricity tingle up his arm as their fingers made contact. She must have felt it too, because she tightened her hand around his briefly and shivered.

The two had trekked through the dense forest for the last two hours; the hike had been beautiful. Embry had grown up in these woods, but his time as a wolf had certainly increased his familiarity with them. As they had walked under the cathedral of trees, his wolf remained alert for any sign of a threat, but the forest was quiet, save for the soft steps of a doe or the scurry of a rabbit.

Now they had arrived at the beach, and, as they walked, Liz couldn't help but compare the scenery to her hometown and laugh. Dallas was all cars and smog and concrete and big box stores. Sure, there were pockets of nature, but nothing like this. _What would it have been like to grow up with this in your backyard_, she wondered.

She couldn't remember a time when she had felt so at ease, and she wondered if it had a little something to do with being around Embry. For some reason, her guard went down when she was around him. It was like she had known him her entire life. In fact, if she believed in reincarnation, she would have sworn that they had known each other in a former life.

The two found a spot to sit down that was just above the shoreline. The waves crashed onto the rocks in front of them, creating a dramatic view. Embry spread out a blanket and the food he had packed earlier, motioning for Liz to sit down. "Hope you like turkey," he smiled.

"That's great," she said, taking the proffered sandwich and suddenly feeling shy. "Turkey's my favorite."

Embry's face lit up and he grinned back at her before making quick work of his own sandwich.

"So, did you spend all your time out in the woods when you were a kid?" she asked.

"Kind of," he said, unwrapping a second sandwich. "I came here a lot when I was kid, but I really learned my way around from patr— um, from hiking with the guys when we were in high school," he corrected himself, opening a bag of chips and offering some to Liz.

"What about you?" he asked. "Did you spend a lot of time outdoors growing up?"

Liz laughed. "Only if you count cutting through the park as a shortcut to school," she said wryly. "There wasn't a lot of nature where I grew up. Not like this, where you could just walk out your back door and be surrounded by it. You pretty much had to drive at least 30 minutes to get anywhere near a park, and even then, it nothing like this: so big, so secluded. I feel like we're the only people out here right now."

"Good thing you trust me," laughed Embry.

"True. This would be the perfect place to commit a crime and make it look like an accident," Liz joked, pulling a small container out of her own pack and opening it. "But I'm hoping these cookies will shield me from any harm."

Embry reached into the container and took one, while Liz grabbed another for herself. "Mmmm," he moaned softly. "These are incredible."

"They're actually my aunt's recipe," she admitted. "I call them 'special occasion' cookies because we only ever had them on holidays and big events."

"So what special occasion are we celebrating today?" asked Embry.

Liz thought for a moment. "I guess…new beginnings?"

"I'll eat to that," said Embry enthusiastically, taking another cookie and clinking it against hers.

The two sat in silence for a moment, enjoying their dessert and watching the waves roll in. The wind was blowing a bit harder, sweeping Liz's hair across her face. Embry clasped his hands together so he wouldn't be tempted to reach over and tuck the wild strands behind her ear.

"Are you cold?" he asked her, when he saw her teeth chattering slightly.

"A little bit," she admitted.

"Here," he said, removing his own jacket—which was really just for show, anyway—and handing it to her.

"What about you?" she asked, concerned.

"My body temperature runs hotter than most. I feel great. Please, take it," he insisted, leaning over to wrap it around her shoulders. Liz leaned into him, scooting closer to his side.

"Wow, you're not kidding. I might need to take advantage of your body heat," she joked. "Are you sure you're not sick? That doesn't seem normal."

"I'm fine," he reassured her with a soft smile on his face. "Consider me your own personal space heater for the afternoon."

Liz grinned and snuggled closer to Embry's side. Hesitantly, he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. He felt her stiffen for a moment, but then she relaxed and leaned in to him. He loved the way she fit in the crook of his arm, her head against his shoulder. He was quiet for a bit, just enjoying the way she felt next to his body. It felt so…right. Easy, just like Jake had said. Gathering up his courage, Embry decided to pose the question that had been on his mind since they had met just a few days ago.

"So...why are you in need of a new beginning?" Embry asked softly.

Liz was quiet, glancing briefly at Embry and staring out at the water again. "I…it's…" she started, trailing off and pulling away just slightly.

"It's ok, you don't need to answer that," said Embry, gently encouraging to come back to his side. "It's none of my business; I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No, no, it's fine," she said quickly. "It's not like it's a secret or anything, it's just…complicated, I guess."

Liz glanced up at Embry to see his reaction. His eyes met hers, and he smiled tenderly. "I don't mind listening," he reassured.

"Well…" she broke away again, looking at the ground, then raising her head to look up at him, resolved. "Ok, here it is. I broke off an engagement about six months ago," she admitted. "And, although I would have had to come here anyway because my aunt died, it just seemed like the right time to make a new start somewhere else. You think you're living a big city until you break up with someone," she scoffed. "Roger just seemed to be everywhere; there was too much history with him; and I just needed to make a clean break, start over." Her voice trailed off as she broke eye contact with Embry, once again moving her gaze to the ocean.

Liz gave a half-hearted laugh before continuing. "He was seeing someone else," she said. "Someone he used to know from his hometown. He just didn't have the guts to end it with me…we had been together for three years. So he just snuck around, behind my back. I had sort of suspected, but he managed to hide it for almost 4 months. I finally put two and two together, and when I confronted him about it, he said he loved us both."

She shook her head, remembering. "I hung around for two whole months, hoping he'd change his mind and choose me. Finally, I realized that he was never going to make a choice. So I was the one to end it. Broke the engagement, gave him his ring back, moved out, the whole deal. I was such an idiot," she said scornfully.

"You're NOT an idiot," Embry asserted, tilting her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. "You're incredibly brave. Not that many people would have had the courage to do what you did, to end things, be willing to pack up, move someplace where you know no one, and start fresh."

He was quiet for a few seconds and then added, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Liz scoffed. "It's not your fault I'm so naïve."

Embry forced down the tremor of anger that shot up his spine. Whoever this guy was, he wanted to punch him in the face for hurting her and making her feel like she was at all to blame. "I'm sorry he did that to you," he said. "I'm sorry you were hurt. I'm sorry you believe that somehow any of it was your fault, because it wasn't. He didn't deserve you."

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "I guess. Besides, everything happens for a reason, right?"

"Yes, it does," Embry whispered. He lightly touched his forehead to hers, feeling her heartbeat accelerate as they made contact. He closed his eyes and exhaled. If he lowered his head just a little bit more, he could touch his lips to hers, and—

"Aaaaaaah!" they both shrieked together as a rogue wave crashed onto the rocks below them, thoroughly soaking them both. They stared at each other in disbelief, and then Liz began to laugh.

"Well, that's one way to break up a moment," she giggled.

"I knew you were a powerful woman; I had no idea you could make the ocean do your bidding," teased Embry.

"Let that be a lesson to you," she smirked. "That's just a little taste of my powers."

Embry's subsequent shiver had nothing to do with the cold. If only this woman knew what she did to him, how she made him feel; he was already under her spell. He wanted to hold on tight to her and never let go. Instead, he reached into his backpack, which thankfully had been sheltered from the brunt of the spray, and pulled out a towel.

"Wow, you came prepared," she remarked. "Boy Scout?"

"They kicked me out," he smiled, reaching over to gently towel the salt water from her face. "Jake, Quil and I snuck off during a camping trip to sneak a smoke, and we got caught."

"Embry Call, the trouble maker," she laughed. "Somehow I can see the three of you causing a ruckus."

"It's what we did best," he said. "Still is, really." He moved the towel to her hair, which had begun to curl into wet ringlets that softly framed her face. She was beautiful. The towel slowly slipped from his grasp as he was once again overcome with the urge to take her in his arms and warm her lips with her own. She shivered—whether from the cold or because she felt the same way, he wasn't sure. But he wouldn't allow himself to go there. She had just gotten out of a relationship; she didn't need to be bombarded by his feelings so soon. But the way she looked at him…

"Come on," he said, shaking his head to break the spell. "Let's get you home so you can get into some dry clothes."


	6. Chapter 6

***Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own nothing***

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"Here you go," said Liz, setting a mug of tea in front of Embry. The two had made it back to the truck in record time—Embry had insisted on giving Liz a piggy-back ride, and she had been too cold to argue—and they were now sitting in front of her fireplace, Embry having started the blaze with ease.

"Looks like you at least learned a few things before they kicked you out of the Boy Scouts," she teased as she warmed her hands by the fire.

Embry grinned at her over his mug, admiring the way her skin glowed under the firelight. He was glad she had invited him in; even though they had spent all afternoon together, he wasn't ready for the day to end just yet.

"Actually, I learned that from Billy Black, Jake's dad," he said. "He was sort of a father figure to me growing up. I spent many years helping him and Jake set up for the tribal bonfires down at the beach." He refrained from mentioning that it was quite possible Billy Black actually WAS his father.

"Oh yeah, Kim mentioned that you guys had bonfires down there quite often. That sounds really cool; I've never done anything like that," Liz said.

"You should come to the next one," suggested Embry. "It's next Saturday. Billy will actually be there, telling the Quileute legends."

"Oh, wow! That would be amazing. But, I couldn't. That sounds like—I mean, I don't want to intrude," Liz started.

"Not at all," insisted Embry. "You can come as my guest. You'll be totally welcome; everyone is dying to meet you anyway."

"Really?" she asked. "You guys must not get a lot of new people out here," she joked.

"Well, we don't," admitted Embry. "But that's not why everyone wants to meet you. Kim has told everyone about you, and of course, Jake thinks you're great as well. And I…" his voice trailed off.

"You don't think I'm great?" she teased.

"I think you're amazing," he said seriously, looking into her eyes.

Liz stared back, unsure what to say. She was still so confused by her feelings. Two weeks ago, when she had arrived in Forks, she had been resigned to her state of singlehood, at least for the next little while. In fact, for her, part of the attraction to the small town was that she would be less likely to run into any…distractions. Now, she found herself considering what it would be like to date Embry. She thought back to this afternoon, how warm—literally and figuratively—he had been. How safe she had felt snuggled into his side, and how sweet and strong he was, insisting on carrying her all the way back to the truck. She had felt so at ease with him, and she still couldn't understand why. Maybe there was a chance...

"Are you hungry?" she asked suddenly, forcing herself out of her daydream. She wouldn't allow herself to think that way; it wasn't right. Embry deserved so much better than some sniveling mess from Texas, who for months didn't even have the balls to leave a guy that had been cheating on her.

"What? Oh, uh, yeah," Embry said, leaning back and rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "Um, but I'm always hungry, so that doesn't mean a whole lot."

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" suggested Liz. "I was planning to make beef stew. That seems like good comfort food after getting drenched by the Pacific Ocean, don't you think?"

"That sounds perfect," Embry agreed. "Let me help you."

The two worked easily together in the kitchen, Embry chopping vegetables while Liz sautéed the meat. "Do you have any red wine?" Embry asked, looking up from his cutting board.

"Yep, in the wine rack over the fridge," Liz instructed.

Embry opened a bottle and walked up beside her. "Here, do you want to pour a little of this in there? It'll give it a nice flavor," he suggested, tipping the bottle over the pan.

"That sounds good; go for it," Liz agreed, watching as the red liquid swirled around the meat and filled the kitchen with a heavenly aroma. "Mmmm, great idea. Where'd you learn how to cook? Let me guess...Billy Black?" she joked.

"No, from myself, actually," he grinned. "My mom worked most nights, so if I wanted to eat something besides cereal and pasta, I had to learn how to cook. Although I guess I can't take all the credit…Emily has had quite a bit to do with my mad cooking skills."

Liz stiffened for a moment. "Emily…is she...was she…your…girlfriend?" She couldn't understand why she found herself suddenly jealous.

"My girlfr—what?" Embry asked, confused. "No, no! She's not my girlfriend. She's actually my friend Sam's wife. She's an amazing cook and feeds us guys a lot. Well, not as much as she used to, now that she and Sam have kids and all, but we still end up eating there about once a week. You'll have to come sometime."

Liz smiled, feeling simultaneously relieved and confused about why she felt so. "That's nice," she said. "I like to cook too. Although since it's just me these days, I mostly just throw something in the pot and am done with it. It's nice to share a meal with someone for a change. Thanks for sticking around."

"Yeah, I agree. And anytime," Embry said sincerely. "It's nice for me too."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they added the ingredients to the stew and let it simmer. The two ate at her kitchen table, sharing the rest of the bottle of red wine. Embry regaled Liz with stories about the pack, being careful not to give away too much.

"So you just left Paul there with no pants?" asked Liz incredulously, tears rolling down her face from laughter.

"Hey, he totally deserved it. If he hadn't been such an ass, we would've at least left his boxers" Embry defended. "Besides, it's not like it was that long of a walk home. I think he only got honked at a couple of times. To tell you the truth, I think he probably liked putting on a show." He winked at Liz as he drained the last of the wine from his glass.

"You guys are hilarious. And horrible. I'm not sure what I'll say when I finally meet Paul face to face," Liz mused.

"Don't worry, it'll probably take about 0.5 seconds for him to say something offensive to you, and then you'll have no problem giving him shit either."

Liz shook her head and got up from the table, heading to the refrigerator. "Do you want some dessert? I couldn't resist getting this to go from the coffee shop today." She took out a small pink pastry box and placed it on the table with two spoons.

"Chocolate fudge cake," groaned Embry as he opened the box. "Oh yessssss. Hope you weren't planning on eating any, because I'm about to take care of it in one bite."

"Don't you dare!" scolded Liz, quickly grabbing her spoon and intercepting Embry's as he went for the kill. "You'd better share, or I won't ever invite you over for dinner again!"

"Aw, I'm sorry. Here," Embry said, as he held a spoonful of the decadent dessert to her mouth. "Peace offering?"

"Mmmmm," she replied, her mouth full of cake. "Soooooo good. Yeah, I should've gotten two slices instead of one."

Liz spooned another piece of cake and, without thinking, held it out to Embry. He leaned forward, not breaking eye contact, and slowly put it into his mouth. Liz blushed and looked away, cursing herself for having drunk too much wine, which seemed to have lowered her inhibitions.

"Why are you embarrassed?" asked Embry, as though he could hear her thoughts.

"I'm not embarrassed. I'm just…it's…ugh, I don't know," she laughed lightly, shaking her head. "I feel so comfortable around you; sometimes I forget that we barely know each other. It's weird."

"Why is it weird?" Embry asked. "I think it's nice. I'm glad you feel comfortable around me, because I feel the same way about you."

"Yeah, it is nice," Liz said quickly. "I've just…I've never felt this way about someone before. I'm not sure what to make of it."

"Why do you have to make anything of it?" asked Embry. "Why don't we just let it be what it is and continue getting to know one another?" He wanted so badly in that moment to confess everything to her, to explain that there was a reason why she felt this way. He wanted to tell her about the pack, about his wolf, that she was his imprint, and that he felt the same way about her, maybe even more so.

Instead, he scooped up another spoonful of the cake and held it out to her. "Honestly, I'm the one who started it. So don't be embarrassed. I'm not."

Liz seemed to mull over his words for a moment, then smiled shyly and ate the proffered cake.

"Cool?" questioned Embry.

"Cool," affirmed Liz.

They made short work of the rest of their dessert, feeding it to each other and laughing as each of them inevitably ended up with fudge smeared on their faces. "Classy," said Liz as she wiped a smudge of chocolate off Embry's cheek with a napkin.

"Hey, you're one to talk, Ms. Chocolate Upper Lip," Embry shot back. "How do you expect me to ever take you out in public, if you eat like that?"

"Is that an offer?" Liz asked, before once again blushing furiously as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

"You'd better believe it," said Embry softly, brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek and gently using his thumb to wipe away the drop of chocolate that rested on her sweet, soft lips. She closed her eyes, and he slowly leaned forward, barely brushing his lips against hers. Before he could deepen the kiss, however, she suddenly gasped and pushed him away.

"I—I can't," she apologized. "I'm sorry, Embry, but I just can't."

He sat there stunned for a moment, running his fingers through his hair and trying to catch his breath. "I'm the one who's sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have done that. It was a total dick move on my part; I just got caught up in the moment."

"No, you don't understand," she argued. "I liked it. I like you. But…I'm a mess right now, Embry. And I can't run into the arms of the first nice guy I meet after breaking off my engagement; that's not fair to either of us. I'm not looking for a rebound. Ultimately, I'm looking for the real thing."

The words stung Embry to the core. Did she really consider him to be a rebound? Just like any other "nice guy" she might have met off the street? Surely she felt the same connection he did; hadn't she admitted as much earlier, when she said how comfortable she was with him? Was she trying to say that she had just been using him? Or was she afraid that he was trying to take advantage of her, that he was just some guy who wanted to use up whatever was left of her heart and be on his way?

Blindsided by hurt, he didn't know what else to say, so he said the only thing that came into his mind: "I understand."

But he didn't. Not at all. His heart was shriveling into itself.

"I should get going; I have to open up the shop early tomorrow morning," he said, standing up from the table.

"What? Embry, wait, what's wrong?" Liz started, confused. She followed him as he walked toward the door. "Embry, please, don't leave like this."

"Don't leave like what? I'm fine, Liz, really," he unconvincingly reassured. "I totally understand where you're coming from. You've been through a lot and you came here to heal and you don't need anyone coming in and complicating your life any more than it already is. I should have done a better job of respecting that. I really am sorry."

"Embry, I—"

"Thanks for dinner," he said, grabbing his jacket and making his way to the door before she could see any trace of emotion on his face.

"Wait, how are you getting home?" she asked. "You drove my truck here. I can give you a ri—"

"My truck's at the shop; it's a really quick jog from here. Really, I'll be fine. Have a good week, ok?" Before he could put his hand on the doorknob, she came up behind him and put her hand lightly on his back. He couldn't help it—her touch melted his resolve, and he turned to look at her, sadness etched across his face.

"Embry…" she started, distraught by his expression.

"Good night, Liz," he cut her off. "See you later." And, mustering up every ounce of strength he possessed, he turned away from her, opened the door, and walked out into the night.

"What the hell just happened?" Liz whispered, as she watched his massive form dissolve into the darkness.

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**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I have been on vacation in the Pacific Northwest for the last couple weeks, including...La Push, Washington! I spent a few days in a little cabin on First Beach and it was amazing. It was fun to geek out over all of the Twilight paraphernalia out there. No werewolf or vampire sightings, sadly, but it did inspire some writing. You might see another story from me soon with Paul (one of my favorite wolves) as the main character. =)**

**I haven't really gotten a lot of feedback on this story ("Guest," thank you for your kind review; it wouldn't let me reply to you personally), so I'm not sure how well it's being received. I'll continue to update since it's in my head and wanting to come out, but would love to hear thoughts and suggestions. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Wow! Thank you for the reviews and follows! It's super motivating. =) To make up for not posting last week, I decided to upload an additional (albeit short) chapter this week. I've got much of this story written already, so I hope to keep up a regular cadence. **

**Guest: Thank you for the sweet review! Your contact info was removed, so I couldn't respond personally. My hope was that, even if the story was boring, it would at least be grammatically correct. =) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. **

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Embry ran. As hard and as fast as he could, his clothes eventually ripping to shreds as he let the wolf overtake him. Her words reverberated in his head: "I'm not looking for a rebound. Ultimately I'm looking for the real thing."

He was not the "real thing." He was a rebound. He was a distraction. He was complicating her life.

He raced through the forest, wishing he would run into a leech so he'd have an excuse to rip something to shreds.

"Whoa man, what's going on?" he heard Jake's voice in his head.

"Nothing," he replied, paws pounding the forest floor.

"Is there trouble in imprint paradise?" laughed Quil, joining in on the conversation.

"Fuck off, asswipe. I'm not in the mood," snarled Embry. He tried to contain the replay of what had just happened, but he couldn't shut it out: How happy he had felt with her today, how angry he was that her dick of an ex-fiance had hurt her so much, how close he had come to kissing her, and then how her words—her terrible, horrible words—had subsequently sent him into a tailspin, flooding his system with grief and despair.

"Emb, I think you might be misinterpreting this whole thing," cautioned Jake. "From what it sounds like, she just wants to take things slow. She likes you too much to be the rebound guy."

"Right, she likes me too much to be the rebound guy, but not enough for me to be the one who sticks," growled Embry.

"OR, she's trying to say she doesn't want you to be the rebound because she DOES want you to be the one that sticks. That's a pretty huge jump you made from 'let's take it slow' to 'Get out of my life because I will never date you,'" argued Quil. "I can't believe you're going to give up that easy, after all this time?"

"Look, Quil," Embry seethed, "I was there. Just because you can see what happened tonight in my head doesn't mean you know everything. I was there; I know what I heard; I know what she was trying to say."

"Sorry, man, but I think you're wrong about this," countered Jake smoothly. "At least go back and talk to her when you've had a chance to calm down. Have you forgotten the first rule of imprinting? 'We'll be whatever she needs us to be.' Be her friend if that's what she needs from you. The rest will happen naturally."

"Jake, you don't get it. That was her whole point: She _doesn't _need me in her life right now. The imprint has made things ridiculously complicated. She's trying to recover from this big, traumatic event, and all I am doing is distracting her from the healing process."

"And that's MY point, Embry, if you would just quit trying to argue with me for 5 seconds and fucking listen to what I'm trying to say," said Jake, exasperated. "She's distracted by you because she's drawn to you. And not just for some silly fling. Do you really think she's going to be able to stay away from you, even if she wants to? You've seen the way imprints work. That's going to be next to impossible. There has to be some kind of middle ground here. All you're going to do is hurt her by pushing her away, not to mention make yourself crazy in the process."

"Whatever Jake, Quil; I don't want to talk to either of you about this anymore." Embry had arrived at his house and phased back to human form, shutting his friends out of his mind. They didn't get it. They weren't there. No matter how drawn he was to her, or she to him—for the purpose of a rebound, he was sure of it—he would not complicate her life any further.

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**Your reviews and follows are incredibly motivating! Thanks for reading! =)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just having some fun with it.**

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Liz woke up feeling groggy on Monday morning. She had barely slept all weekend, unable to quit replaying what had happened with Embry in her mind, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. She had finally gotten desperate enough to ask Kim for his phone number, careful not to go into detail about why she wanted it. Something told her, though, that Kim already had an idea something was up.

Embry never returned her calls.

Accepting defeat, the only conclusion Liz could come to was that interrupting his almost-kiss had finally made him realize what a mess she was, and he didn't want to get involved. Or maybe all he had been looking for was a short fling, and the thought that she might consider him more than that scared him off.

As logical as those scenarios were, however, it still didn't seem to make sense.

_It's for the best,_ she thought, but it didn't take away the sting, nor did it fill the empty cavern in her heart that, for some reason she couldn't understand, seemed to have instilled itself the moment he walked out the door.

* * *

"You look like shit."

"Thanks asshole, good morning to you, too," grumbled Embry at Jake as he walked into their shop on Monday morning. It had been a rough weekend. He had taken on extra patrols—it's not like he was sleeping anyway—and spent the rest of his time cleaning out his garage, tinkering with his truck, and trying to pretend that Liz had NOT been calling him all weekend.

He couldn't talk to her. As tempted as he was to take her calls, as much as he wanted to hear the sound of her voice, he didn't think he could bear being rejected by her again. It was best that he cut off all contact now, like ripping off a band-aid, rather than dragging out what he was sure would be a slow, gut-wrenching process.

"So, I take it you're still being a stubborn asshole and refusing to talk to Liz?" asked Quil innocently, as he wiped his greasy hands on a rag.

"Shove it, Quil," growled Embry. "I told you all weekend that I didn't want to talk about it."

"Ok, but I'm telling you, man, you're not gonna be able to just ignore your imprint. It doesn't work like that. I think if you would just talk to—"

"Quil, I said to shut the fuck up! I'm not in the mood!" Embry gazed at Quil fiercely, tremors tingling up and down his spine.

"Enough, both of you," interrupted Jake. He wasn't exactly giving them an Alpha order, but there was enough authority in his voice to quiet them both down. "Get your asses to work. We've got a busy day ahead."

Embry nodded at Jacob and grabbed his toolbox. Giving Quil one last withering stare, he huffed his annoyance and got to work.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Liz sipped her coffee and stared at her computer, trying to avoid Kim's penetrating gaze. She had hoped to avoid the coffee shop this morning, knowing that her new friend would want more details about what had gone down over the weekend. She didn't want to talk about it, but she still didn't have Internet access at home, and she was on a deadline for an article.

Fortunately, the shop had been packed that morning, and Kim had not had the chance to take a break. Liz's luck seemed to be running out, however, as she saw Kim wave the last remaining customer out the door and make a beeline for her table.

"Ok, spill it," she said, pulling up a chair.

"Spill what, Kim?" Liz shuffled her books and pretended to look busy.

"You know what," insisted Kim. "You had your date with Em—ok, so it wasn't a date," she revised, rolling her eyes at Liz's expression. "You had your…outing with Embry on Friday; you called me on Saturday asking for his phone number and sounding like your best friend had just died; and then Jared comes home telling me that Embry is acting all—"

"Acting all what?" Liz looked up quickly.

"He's clearly upset about something that happened," said Kim. "Jared didn't get into details—to be honest, I don't think he really knows what's going on, since I can usually get stuff out of him pretty easily—but regardless, he said Embry was not the easiest person to be around all weekend."

"Oh," said Liz quietly, looking back down at her coffee.

"Well?" prodded Kim impatiently. "Are you going to tell me about it or what?"

"I don't know, Kim," said Liz. "I don't even know what happened myself."

"You didn't start overanalyzing things and chase him off, did you?" asked Kim.

"No! Well…maybe. I don't know," said Liz, a look of frustration across her face. "Things were going really well. We had this great day; being with him was so easy. And then we were eating dinner and, uh, feeding each other some cake…and he leaned over to kiss me, and—" Liz looked up as two men walked into the shop. They were ginormous, and Quileute, and Liz once again wondered what in the hell they were feeding the boys on the reservation.

"Liz! Focus!" said Kim, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "He was about to kiss you, and…" Noticing that she had officially lost her friend's attention, Kim finally followed her stare. "Dammit, Jared, you have the worst timing," she grumbled under her breath.

"Hey babe, I'm glad to see you too," laughed the man whom Liz assumed was Jared. He floated behind Kim's chair and tenderly kissed her on the cheek, lightly squeezing her shoulder.

"Liz, this is my fiancé Jared, and that's Paul," said Kim, pointing to the lanky, muscular man standing behind Jared. He was staring at Liz with a large smirk on his face.

"Hi," Liz said, suddenly feeling shy. "Nice to meet you both."

"Nice to meet YOU, Liz. I've heard a lot of great things about you from Kim," said Jared warmly.

"Well, well, well," boomed Paul, his smirk growing larger as he crossed his arms across his chest and assessed the woman across from him. "You're the infamous Liz."

"Infamous?" Liz asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Oh, you know, just that we've all heard a lot about you from Kim," Jared interrupted, giving Paul a pointed look.

"Actually, Jared, I was referring to the fact that she's all our good friend Embry has been able to think—I mean talk— about lately," Paul corrected himself, ignoring the looks he was getting from Jared and Kim.

"I'm sorry?" Liz asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing," replied Paul. "It's just that we all kind of feel like we know you, thanks to Embry. Let me ask you, though: He's seemed pretty down and out these last few days. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that, would you, sweetheart?"

"Can't say that I have, Paul," Liz retorted. "But you know what's funny—I feel like I already know you, too, thanks to Embry."

"Oh yeah? How's that?" Paul asked, twitching slightly and looking a bit thrown off guard.

"Let's just say he's a great story-teller," Liz smiled widely. "Walked home without your pants lately?"

Jared and Kim burst out laughing, while Paul was stunned into silence.

"Oh, I had totally forgotten about that night!" giggled Kim.

"She got you, man," Jared grinned.

"Whatever," Paul huffed. "Kim, I'm getting some coffee," he said, stalking over to the counter and helping himself to a cup.

"Bring me a muffin!" called Jared, laughing at Paul's one-fingered salute in reply.

"Well, I should get going," said Liz, closing her laptop and gathering her belongings.

"No, stay, Liz," pleaded Kim. "Don't let these overgrown oafs drive you out of here, especially Paul. He's actually a nice guy, just rough around the edges. You handled him well."

"I need to get back to the house, let out Marble," Liz explained.

"But we didn't have a chance to talk yet about what happened this weekend," Kim protested. "Seriously, Liz, talk to me. Maybe we can help! We've known Embry for a long time."

"Babe, let her be," said Jared, touching Kim on the arm. "It's none of our business and she doesn't want to talk about it."

Liz looked at Jared gratefully and mumbled, "Thanks."

Kim looked from Jared back to Liz and sighed. "Ok. But you have my number. Promise me you'll call if you want to talk?"

"I promise," assured Liz.

"Good," said Kim, and she walked over to the counter to slap Paul's hand, which was reaching for a third muffin.

"It was nice meeting you Jared," said Liz as she stood up to leave.

"You too," he replied. "And hey, Liz?" he called, as she started to walk away.

She turned and faced him. "Yes?"

"Be patient with Embry. He's a good guy."

Liz stood there, looking silently at Jared. She nodded slowly, then quickly made her way out the door.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, thank you for your follows, favorites, and reviews! They really have spurred me on in my writing, so I appreciate it! I'm really enjoying this process—who knew fiction could be so fun?! Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome.**

**Beaches of La Push: Your last review made me laugh! Yes, Embry really is acting like a moody chick. Don't worry...Quil will be giving him a pretty nice b*tch slap in the next chapter, in a way that only he can do. =)**


	9. Chapter 9

Embry had taken a few days off from the shop, at Jake's insistence. "You're more of a liability than you are an asset right now, man," he had commented as Embry dropped yet another part, putting a dent in its side. "Take some time, get your shit together, and then come back."

Unfortunately, that had left Embry with nothing but time on his hands—time to mope and think about Liz pretty much non-stop. He had run by her house every evening in wolf form, sleeping at the edge of the woods. Just being in close proximity to her had once been sufficient to soothe his wolf, but now it was proving to not be enough. He tormented himself with images of her, the musical sound of her laugh, how soft her lips had felt when he brushed against them…

"Ugh!" he exclaimed, getting off the couch and walking to the kitchen to scavenge for something to eat. He opened the refrigerator, knowing he'd find nothing inside—he hadn't been to the store in days. As he was debating the merits of a pickle and mayonnaise sandwich, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

Embry went to the window and looked outside, seeing Quil standing on his porch. He opened the door and stepped outside, looking at him expectantly. "Hey man, what're you up to?" Quil asked as they faced each other.

"Not much. What're you doing here?" Embry questioned. The two of them had not spoken much since their little tiff in the garage a few days before. Embry knew that Quil had meant well, but he needed to mind his own business.

Quil grinned and said, "Want to grab a bite? My treat."

Embry sighed. "I don't know, man, I'm kind of busy…"

"Busy doing what? Counting the cracks in the floor? I know just as well as you that you aren't doing anything right now, and—call it my wolfy instincts, if you will— something also tells me your refrigerator is totally empty and you've been reduced to eating something disgusting just to stay alive."

Embry stared at Quil and shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, man," needled Quil, "Let me buy you lunch. It'll be my way of saying I'm eternally sorry for interfering with your personal life."

Embry ran his hand through his hair and laughed. It was hard for anyone to stay mad at Quil for long. "You know, if I thought having lunch with you would actually mean that you WOULD stay out of my personal life from now on, I'd take your offer a lot more seriously," he said.

"Dude, you know I mean well. Let's go."

"Sure, sure," Embry sighed again. "Let me grab my keys."

The two men clambered into Embry's truck and made their way out to the highway, heading toward Forks.

"So, what've you been up to the last few days?" asked Quil cheerfully.

Embry looked over at him warily. "This isn't some alternative tactic of butting into my personal life, is it?"

"Hey, it was an innocent question. I can't ask one of my best friends what he's been up to?"

Embry turned away from Quil and looked out the window. "Been running extra patrols, doing stuff around the house, that kind of thing."

"Mmmhmm," said Quil. "That's what I figured. Are you coming back to work tomorrow?"

"I told Jake I would. I didn't want to take the time off to begin with."

"Well, there are only so many dropped mufflers we can replace before we have to intercede," joked Quil. "I think Jake was also hoping the time away would do you some good—does Willie's for lunch sound ok to you?" he asked quickly, before Embry had a chance to argue.

"Yeah, that works," agreed Embry as they pulled into the outskirts of Forks, making their way downtown where Willie's, a mobile food truck, served up hot subs during lunch hour.

They quickly found a parking spot and the two men crossed the street, ordering their sandwiches and sitting down on one of the benches nearby to eat. Embry sighed in contentment as he bit into his meatball sub, the melted Swiss cheese warming his insides and the spice of the meat making his nose run slightly. It was the first real food he had eaten since that night at Liz's.

"See, what'd I tell ya? You look better already," Quil asserted.

Embry gave him a half-smile, sipping his drink and looking out at the street. It was an unusually sunny day, and people were taking advantage of the weather on their lunch breaks. He closed his eyes and felt the sun warming his face. It felt good to finally be out among the living. "She quit calling," he said to Quil out of nowhere.

Quil looked up in surprise at Embry's sudden candor. "Liz? She's been calling you?"

Embry nodded. "Kim gave her my number. She called all weekend."

"And let me guess," said Quil. "Your stubborn ass never called her back."

Embry shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to pick up the phone, and now it seemed that Liz had finally taken the hint—she had stopped calling. Even though that had been his original intent, he somehow felt even worse after the phone had stopped ringing, essentially ending the last remnants of what little connection they still had. _Stupid imprint_, he thought.

"So, why don't YOU just call HER, then?" asked Quil. "Seems like the easy solution to me."

Embry was quiet.

"Look, Embry," Quil said, "I know you're sick of me harping on this, but you brought it back up, so as far as I'm concerned, that gives me permission to say what I want. I want you to hear me out. I am not expert at any of this, but I do know what it's like to imprint, and I'm telling you again, with as much certainty as I have: It will be next to impossible for you to shut her out of your life now that you know she exists, now that you two have connected. That pull will always be there, and it will only get worse, the longer you try to deny it. And it's the same for her. So if you can't get your head out of your ass long enough to quit hurting yourself, at least try and do it for Liz's sake—because it's not fair to her."

"Quil, she doesn't _want_ me," Embry reminded him. "How am I supposed to satisfy the magical laws of the imprint if the woman I imprinted on wants nothing to do with me?"

Quil rolled his eyes. "Right, she doesn't want you, that's why she spent all weekend calling you after you ran out of her house like an idiot." He shook his head. "Did she ever SAY that she doesn't want anything to do with you? Or did you just come to that conclusion in your head? Because from what I can gather, it seems to be the latter."

"She was pretty clear, Quil," said Embry. "She doesn't need the complications." But even as the words left his mouth, he questioned their validity. Maybe he _had_ misinterpreted what she had said. Maybe she wasn't trying to let him down easily.

Of course, now, given the way he had treated her this last week, he'd be lucky if she ever spoke to him again.

Embry's thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of Quil's cell. "Hey baby," he said, answering it. "Embry and I are having lunch. Yeah, we're in Forks. What's up?" He looked over at Embry and then stood up from the bench and walked a few steps away.

Embry finished the rest of sandwich, crumpling the foil wrapper in his hand. As much as he hated to admit it, Quil—his and Jacob's long-time best friend, the one who had always been the most immature of the three—had a point.

"Mmhmm," he heard Quil say. "I'm on it. Bye, babe." He shoved his phone in his pocket and walked back to the bench. "Claire needs me to pick up some stuff at the grocery store. I figured you could probably use a grocery run yourself. You mind?"

"Yeah, alright," said Embry, standing up. The Forks grocery store was bigger and had a lot more options than the tiny convenience store on the rez; it made sense to get what he could while he was already out. Besides, he didn't feel like returning to his lonely cabin just yet anyhow.

The two men drove to the store in relative silence, Quil occasionally glancing over at Embry.

"_What_?" Embry gruffed, looking at Quil in exasperation. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Nothing," defended Quil. "So, look. What would you say to Liz if you had the chance to talk to her?"

"What? I don't know," said Embry. "She probably wouldn't even want to talk to me if I ran into her, so it's a moot point."

"Dude, you have GOT to get over this martyr complex of yours. Now, come on, seriously: What would you say to her? And let's pretend she DOES want to talk to you. You know, since her 50 million phone calls have clearly indicated otherwise…"

"Smart ass," said Embry, pulling into the grocery store parking lot. He was pensive for a minute. "If I saw her, I'd probably just apologize, and then offer to stay out of her way."

Quil shook his head. "Weak, man. Weak. You're gonna have to come up with something better than that."

"Are we going in the store, or what?" Embry grumbled as he threw the car into park and opened the door.

The two made their way inside and each grabbed a basket. "What do you have to get?" Embry asked Quil.

"Chicken, flour, eggs…" Quil attempted to recall the list his imprint had given him. "Claire is trying her hand at cooking again. Emily is helping," he added quickly, when he saw Embry's skeptical look. Claire was not exactly known for her culinary skills.

The two decided to split up, agreeing to meet back at the front after they picked up what they needed. Embry made his way up and down the aisles, trying to stay focused on the task at hand, but finding his mind wandering.

He missed her. And now Quil had him thinking...what _would_ he say if he saw her again? _Liz, I know you just got out of a relationship and all, but you just happen to be my soulmate, so if you could go ahead and confess your undying love for me, that would be great_. "Right," he said to himself, shaking his head.

Just as he was just about to round the corner, he heard Quil's voice rising over the next aisle: "…yeah, I knew you looked familiar—well, from Kim's description, anyway. She's told us all about you, said you moved here from Texas. Is the weather making you homesick?" Embry froze. Was he talking to…it couldn't be. Liz was here? What the fuck was Quil doing? Was he out of his mind?

Embry rounded the corner and, sure enough, he saw the back of Liz's head—that beautiful brown hair of hers falling in waves across her shoulders, the slender curves of her body, her sweet scent permeating his senses…

Shit. He had to focus. He had to get out of there.

Just at that moment, Quil looked up and saw him. He smiled widely. "Hey man, look who I ran into!" he called cheerfully, waving him over. "I believe you two know each other?" he asked Liz coyly. She turned, confused, and then started. Her cheeks immediately flushed red and she looked at her feet. "Embry…hi," she said softly.

"Oh, shoot! I forgot; I need to get some bread. Claire will kill me if I come home without it. I'll just leave you two here to catch up. Embry, I'll meet you up front when you're ready to check out. It was nice meeting you Liz!" Quil said cheerfully, winking at Embry over her shoulder. He turned and walked away, clearly pleased with himself.

_Had this whole thing been set up by him and Claire?_ Embry wondered. He vowed right then and there: Quil was going to get the ass kicking of his life when he got out of here.

"How have you—"

"Look I'm sor—"

He and Liz both began talking at the same time. Embry gave her an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, go ahead," he said.

"Oh, I was just going to ask how you were," Liz mumbled, still not making eye contact.

"Uh, fine. Fine, I guess," he replied, suddenly very focused on his shoes as well. "I've been really busy at work; sorry I haven't returned your calls…" his voice trailed off. He tried to rack his brain for something to say, but he was at a loss. He knew there was no excuse for not calling her back, and the look on her face told him that she knew he was full of shit.

"Oh, hey, no big deal, right?" she said, finally looking up. "I know you're busy." Embry raised his gaze to hers, and a stab of pain shuddered through him as he met her watery eyes. "Anyways, I need to run; I have a deadline for work. Good to see you, Embry."

And with that, she turned away and began briskly making her way to the exit, leaving her basket, grocery shopping forgotten.

"Liz!" Embry called out before he could stop himself. She turned around, slowly, questioningly.

"Yes?" she asked, wiping her eyes, a trace of hopefulness in her voice.

Embry's brain fumbled for words. "Uh…be careful driving home," he mumbled, instantly wanting to kick himself. _Of all the dumbass things to say…_ he groaned internally.

She hesitated, as though waiting for him to say something else. When it was clear that he wasn't going to, she nodded and walked even faster towards the door.

Embry felt his withered heart being dragged along behind her.

* * *

**A/N: Good ole Quil. What do you think: Does he deserve the ass kicking he's inevitably going to get? His little plan backfired juuuust a bit, but he and Claire meant well.**

**Next up, it's ladies' night with the imprints! Sometimes a woman needs to take matters into her own hands.**

**Thanks as always for your reviews/follows/favorites. Thanks especially to Taoist Elf, whose stories I love—you should go read them! **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N about canon diversion: As I mentioned in Ch. 1, in this story Claire is older and of suitable dating age for Quil (about a 3-4 yr age difference), so I've decided to make her Emily's (and thus Seth's and Leah's) cousin rather than niece. I've updated my a/n in Ch. 1 to reflect this.  
**

* * *

Liz felt warm from her third glass of wine and full from the delicious meal she had just stuffed herself with. Embry had been right about one thing: Emily Uley was one hell of a cook.

When Kim had called earlier that day to see if she was interested in a girls' night, Liz had initially refused. After her encounter with Embry in the grocery store the day before, she knew it would be only a matter of time before she heard from Kim, wanting details. For whatever reason—maybe because they were living in such a small town with nothing better to do, or maybe because they were all so tight-knit—everyone seemed to have taken an interest in her and Embry's relationship, or lack thereof. Liz couldn't remember a time when she had been such a center of attention, and she couldn't decide if it made her feel flattered, annoyed, or worried that they were all members of some kind of cult.

But, after considering Kim's offer, she decided to take her up on it, even if that meant she would undergo the third degree that evening. She couldn't afford to alienate any girlfriends, especially if she was thinking about making a permanent home in Forks, and she genuinely liked Kim—she meant well, as did everyone else, she supposed. And, it might actually do her some good to talk about the Embry situation anyway. The run-in at the grocery store had left her more confused than ever. For a moment, she had thought he was going to make an overture to rectify whatever the hell it was that had happened between them, but in the end…nothing.

Kim had arrived at Liz's house with a car full of food and wine and a group of friends in tow: Emily, Claire, Rachel, and Bella. Liz was excited to finally meet the infamous Emily, who was married to a man named Sam and had two small children, Levi and Allie. Liz had been taken aback by the scar on Emily's face, which extended from her chin to her eyebrow—the result of a bear attack, she had said, when she caught Liz staring at it. Liz had blushed crimson at getting caught and silently vowed to start carrying bear spray when she hiked from now on.

Claire was Emily's cousin and was apparently dating Quil—the third member of Embry and Jake's troublemaking trio and, as far as Liz was concerned, the person responsible for the whole awkward grocery store incident. Rachel was Jacob's older sister who also happened to be engaged to Paul (_No wonder Jake stole his pants_, thought Liz), and Bella was Jacob's childhood sweetheart turned wife. She was the only woman among the group who was not Quileute, Liz had noticed with interest. Her father was Charlie Swan, the Forks chief of police and another coffee shop regular.

Liz couldn't get over how weirdly interconnected this group was.

They had spent the evening feasting on Emily's roast chicken and potatoes and drinking copious amounts of wine that seemed to flow endlessly from the supply Kim had brought. Liz enjoyed getting to know everyone and found herself sharing about her life quite easily—even details about her broken engagement and life back in Texas. The women were clearly very close with each other, which made Liz wonder why they were all so eager to let her into their clique, when they barely knew her.

"Who wants tiramisu?" asked Emily, cutting into the decadent dessert she had just pulled out of the refrigerator.

"Screw the tiramisu; I want more wine!" exclaimed Kim, refilling her glass and passing the bottle suggestively to Liz.

_Why not?_ thought Liz, as she topped off her own glass. It felt good to let loose with these women; she felt comfortable around them, and, after the stress she had been feeling all week, she felt like she deserved a little break. Marble had curled up next to her on the floor, and she stroked his fur absentmindedly.

"Ok Liz," said Kim as they settled around the cozy living room, glasses full and dessert in hand. "Now that we've got you good and drunk, there's no more stalling. Tell us the latest with Embry."

Liz once again flushed, but this time she was unsure if it was from her embarrassment or all the wine she had been drinking. "Kim, there isn't anything to tell," she said, exasperated. "I managed to scare him off last Saturday, apparently, and he hasn't returned any of my phone calls."

"But he talked to you yesterday at the store, didn't he?" asked Claire. "Uh, Quil mentioned they had run into you," she added quickly when Liz gave her a questioning look.

"Yes, Quil saw me and introduced himself—said he recognized me from Kim's description…you must give one hell of a vivid description, Kim—but Embry didn't have a whole lot to say. I had sort of hoped we could clear the air, but it didn't happen."

"What exactly happened between you two on Saturday, if you don't mind my asking?" questioned Bella.

The women stared attentively at Liz, waiting for her answer. She swallowed. "I don't know…we…it's…things were going really well," she began. "Like I told you the other day, Kim, I just feel this connection to him, this level of comfort. I can't explain it. But then when he went to kiss me, I freaked out."

"Why the freak-out?" asked Rachel.

"Because...I just got out of a relationship six months ago," Liz reminded her. "It's one of the reasons why I moved to Forks, to get some distance from all of that. And I need time; I can't drag Embry into my mess of a life right now. It's just not fair to him, and I don't want to risk rushing into things too soon and possibly ruining what could maybe be something…amazing…down the road."

"That's totally understandable," sympathized Bella.

"But when I tried to explain that, he got upset and left," said Liz, her eyes welling with tears. "I don't know if he thought I had been leading him on, or if he had just been hoping to score and was pissed that it didn't work out…maybe I read too much into all of it." The tears ran over and splashed onto her cheeks as her voice trailed off.

"Liz," spoke Emily reassuringly, passing her a pack of tissues. "I may not know the whole story, but I can tell you that Embry is not that kind of guy."

"Not what kind of guy?" questioned Liz, dabbing at her eyes.

"A player," spoke up Rachel. "Embry's not a player. In fact, I don't know that he's even really dated a lot," she mused. "Unlike Paul, who chased every skirt that ever walked past him until he impr—uh, got together with me, of course," she smirked.

"That's why we've all been so curious," explained Emily. "Sorry that everyone in our circle has been so nosy about your relationship. You must think we're all crazy. It's just that we've all known Embry for a long time and we've never seen him like this before."

"Yeah, and for the record, Quil said he thinks Embry is being stupid," added Claire.

"Does Quil know why he's upset?" Liz asked, hopefully.

"He thinks it was just a big misunderstanding," said Claire. "But…I have to come clean…that little encounter with you yesterday at the grocery store was intended to force Embry to talk to you. Kim and I were out yesterday, and she saw you going into the store. I knew Quil and Embry were nearby, so I called to tell him."

Liz processed this new information. "Well, a lot of good it did," muttered Liz. "It was just one big pile of awkward."

"Sorry, Liz. Although, for the record, I told Claire it was a bad idea," asserted Kim, giving a disapproving glance at Claire. "What did he say to you when you saw him?"

"Nothing, really," said Liz. "He told me he had been busy at work and that's why he hadn't returned my calls. We just stared awkwardly at each other for a few minutes, and then finally I had enough of feeling like an idiot and said goodbye. As I was leaving, he told me to 'be careful driving home.'"

"Be careful driving home? What?" squawked Kim.

"Lame-o, Embry," scoffed Rachel. "He needs to spend more time around Paul, learn some game."

"Oh, give him a break, guys," spoke up Bella, who had been listening with quiet interest. "Claire, that wasn't cool of you and Quil to just spring that on him like that—sorry, but it wasn't," she said as Claire looked up indignantly. "And Kim, you shouldn't have even let her do it. If I know Embry, he was probably totally freaked out and unprepared and afraid of saying the wrong thing, so he didn't say anything at all." She turned to Liz. "Personally, I think you should take it as a good sign."

"A good sign that he barely talked to me?" questioned Liz.

"A good sign that he DID talk to you," said Bella. "He didn't blow you off or say something rude. In his own—yes, awkward—way, he was trying to reach out."

"I think Bella is right," said Emily. "He was doing the best he could, however inept it might have been. Embry is not good at being put on the spot; you and Quil should never have done that," she scolded her cousin.

"Hey, we were just trying to help," defended Claire.

"I know," said Emily. "You had their best interests at heart. You just went about it the wrong way."

"Look, Liz," interrupted Kim. "You two need to just sit down and talk this out."

"And how can I do that when he won't return my calls?" Liz protested. "I'm done talking to his voicemail; I do have some pride, you know."

"The bonfire!" exclaimed Kim suddenly. "You'll come to the bonfire this Saturday. He'll be there."

"I don't know, Kim," said Liz, shaking her head. "Embry had mentioned my coming as his guest last week, but I assumed, after everything, that the offer was off the table. It would be weird for me to just show up."

"Nonsense," said Kim. "You'll come as MY guest. And then you two can steal off somewhere and talk this out."

"Right, because that won't be awkward at all," scoffed Liz. "Won't this just be another ambush? What if he doesn't want me there? He's going to think I'm stalking him."

"Liz, it probably will be awkward, but something tells me Embry is still going to be glad you came," said Rachel. "Besides, it'll be different in that environment. He'll be on his home turf; there will be so many people and enough distractions that he'll have plenty of time to collect himself and figure out what to say."

"But look, even if he and I do talk and smooth things over, it still doesn't change anything," argued Liz. "I still need time. I'm not ready to date yet."

"So tell him that," said Emily. "Tell him that you're not shutting him out of your life, but that you need him to be your friend, for now. Set that boundary. I think that's what he needs to hear from you right now, and I think you'll find that he'll be more than happy to assume whatever role in your life you need him to. And then, who knows? When you're ready to date again, if you still feel this connection, then you can explore that possibility with him."

"I never thought of it like that," admitted Liz. "You really think he'd be open to that?"

"I do," said Emily. The other women nodded their heads in agreement.

Liz sighed. She couldn't understand why they all seemed so sure about this, but clearly they knew Embry better than she did, and maybe she needed to take their advice. "Ok. I'll go on Saturday, but if this blows up in my face, then I'm blaming all of you!"

"Deal!" exclaimed Kim with a smile on her face. "Now, what time are you coming over on Saturday so we can help you get ready?"

* * *

**A/N: What would we do without our girlfriends? **

**So what do you think? Is it a good idea for Liz to just show up at the bonfire? Will Embry finally be able to get his sh*t together and work things out? Your reviews spur me on!  
**

**Grammar Guest: So glad you're enjoying! Thanks for reading! :-)  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight; I'm just having fun with her characters.**

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"Paul! Go long!" shouted Sam as he threw the football. It spun through the air, landing effortlessly into Paul's arms; he secured it and began to run down the beach toward the makeshift goal post. Embry turned and began chasing after him, his long, powerful legs kicking up sand and gravel as he went. He quickly caught up with Paul, grabbing his waist and slamming him into the ground, hard.

The pack had arrived at First Beach early to set up for the bonfire, and had hoped to sneak in a friendly game of football before the evening got underway. So far, however, the game had been anything but friendly. Embry was playing with a level of intensity that was starting to piss everyone off.

Embry didn't give a shit if taking down Paul was a douchey thing to do; it had been a long week, and he needed to let off some steam. It had felt good to give Quil a black eye the other day in exchange for the little stunt he had pulled at the grocery store, but, werewolf healing being what it was, Embry's satisfaction had been short lived. What he wouldn't give to run across a group of newborn leeches—he'd love the excuse to rip something apart, limb from limb, and set it on fire. But, since that wasn't an option at the moment, he decided that picking a fight with the pack hothead was the next best thing. Paul didn't fight these days like he used to, but, when provoked enough, he was a worthy opponent.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" Paul growled, shoving Embry off of him and standing up. "Don't take your sexual frustrations out on me."

"Fuck you," Embry snarled, getting quickly to his feet.

"That's what your imprint is for," smirked Paul. "Well, except in your cas—hey!" Paul had barely finished his sentence before Embry's fist had connected with his jaw. Paul sprang into action, his own fist making a satisfying crack into Embry's nose. "You mother fucker!"

"ENOUGH!" shouted Sam. "Both of you. That's enough." Sam was no longer their alpha; Jake had years ago assumed control of both packs, but Sam was his second, and his orders were obeyed.

Paul and Embry glared at each other, their wounds already started to heal. Embry shifted his nose back into place and felt the cartilage bind.

"The girls will be here soon; let's get the fire started," ordered Sam.

The wolves made their way to the area they had set up for the evening. Tables had been assembled to hold the ample amount of food that was soon to arrive, and wood had been stacked for the fire. The large pieces of driftwood littering the beach had been hauled over earlier by the wolves and transformed into makeshift benches. Embry sighed as he knelt before the fire pit with Seth, trying to start the blaze. It wouldn't be long before the imprints began arriving, and, once again, he would be alone. Except this time, it would be his own fucking fault. He hadn't forgotten that he had invited Liz to come, his heart full at the idea of finally having someone to keep warm by the fire while Billy told the tribal legends. Finally, he had thought, he'd no longer be the single, lone wolf.

And then he had to go and fuck up everything.

He had considered calling Liz yesterday to see if she still wanted to come, an attempt at extending the olive branch, but, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. At this point, it seemed too little, too late. Why would she want anything to do with him after he hadn't returned her calls and had acted like such an imbecile in the grocery store? He was an idiot, and he deserved to be alone.

"Embry, man, you're gonna burn yourself. What are you doing?" Seth's voice interrupted Embry's thoughts. He looked down and noticed the flames were coming dangerously close to licking his fingers.

"Sorry, just thinking," Embry replied, standing up and shaking the sand from his cut-offs.

"Why don't you call her and see if she wants to come?" suggested Seth sympathetically. Like the rest of the pack, he knew fully well what was on Embry's mind.

Embry glanced at Seth, inwardly cringing at the look of pity etching his face. He had always liked Seth, considered him a younger brother. They ran late-night patrols together for what had seemed like years back in the early days, and both had been among the last of the pack to imprint, which had forged a certain kind of bond between them. It was because of that bond that Embry refrained from snapping back at him. "I can't, Seth," he sighed.

"Why not? It's not too late."

"It is. And I can't."

"You're being ridiculous, you know."

"Go away, Seth."

Seth frowned and stared at Embry for a few seconds longer, then, shrugging his shoulders, jogged over to join Brady and Colin down the beach.

Embry watched him go. Maybe he should just head home.

"Emb. I need to talk to you for a minute." Embry turned at the sound of Jake's voice behind him. The alpha had just dropped a stack of firewood by the pit and was looking Embry over with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What's up, Jake?" Embry sighed, steeling himself for what he was sure would be a lecture about his fight with Paul.

"I need to talk to you about Liz," Jake replied, grabbing some wood from the stack and throwing it onto the fire.

"Liz? Look, Jake—" Embry started to argue.

"She's coming to the bonfire tonight, man," Jake interrupted.

"What?" Embry was silent for a moment, registering Jake's words. He looked up, suspicion written all over his face. "Did Quil—"

"No man, it has nothing to do with Quil, so leave him the fuck alone," warned Jake. "Apparently some of the imprints had dinner with Liz last night, and they convinced her to come."

"How'd you find—"

"Bella," answered Jake. "She told me this morning. She wanted me to try to put a stop to it, for your sake. But I told her no."

"What?" asked Embry incredulously. "What's your problem, man?"

"You're my problem, Embry. In fact, right now, you're everyone's problem. The whole pack is suffering because you're being a stubborn asshole. I'm over it. We're all over it. You're lucky Paul didn't beat the shit out of you earlier, because you would've deserved it."

Embry was silent, looking at the ground. At this point, especially in the presence of his alpha, there was no fight left in him.

Jake continued. "I'm giving you the courtesy of knowing ahead of time so you can prepare yourself, alright? Enough, already. This bullshit ends tonight."

"Jake…what if she—"

"You'll be what she needs you to be, man," said Jake, a little softer. "You'll be what she needs you to be."

Embry paused and finally nodded his head, looking over at the parking lot. The tribal council and some of the imprints were starting to arrive. Jake clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, man. Bella just got here. Help me get Billy out of the car."

Embry followed him, a million emotions running through him: panic, fear, anger…but also, to his surprise…relief. Deep, penetrating relief, emanating from his wolf, who longed to see his imprint again and craved her touch. Could he pull it off, wondered Embry. Could he manage to see Liz, not put his foot in his mouth, and work things out with her?

He wasn't sure what course of action his wolf would resort to if he couldn't.

They arrived at the lot, where Bella was standing by the trunk of her SUV, having already pulled out Billy's wheelchair. She kissed Jake hello; then, while he went to help his father out of the car, she turned to Embry for a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "Hey Emb, how's it going?" she asked.

"Peachy," Embry replied. He knew what she was getting at. "Can I help you unload?"

"Sure, can you take these trays?" Bella moved over to the backseat and pulled out two pans of lasagna, handing them over. She grabbed a couple platters of brownies for herself to carry, and Jake came up behind her to grab an ice chest full of drinks.

"Have the rest of the girls shown up yet?" Bella asked casually.

"Who, Kim? Emily? The other imprints? No, you're the first," said Jake.

"Oh, ok," Bella said softly, looking around and then casting a quick glance at Embry.

He noticed. So did Jake. "I told him, Bella. He's prepared," he reassured her.

"Good," she nodded. "Embry, I hope you're not mad. The girls…they're just trying to look out for both of you. I tried to discourage them from ambushing you like this, but—"

"I know, Bella," Embry reassured her. "Really. It's ok. I…I need to work this out with Liz. You guys are right; it's time."

Bella squeezed Embry's arm, gently. "Something tells me it'll be easier than you think. She's been kind of a wreck herself. She really seems to care about you…this whole thing just sounds like a huge misunderstanding."

Embry nodded, but his stomach twisted at the thought of having caused Liz pain. He would make it up to her, he vowed, and he would never let it happen again.

The three of them trailed behind Billy, who was already wheeling his way down the boardwalk to the beach. Quil had seen them coming and was waiting to help them lift Billy's chair onto the sandy gravel after they deposited their food and drinks on the tables.

As they maneuvered Billy carefully to his regular spot around the fire, Embry glanced up again toward the parking lot. Kim and Emily had arrived, but there was someone else in the car with them. He couldn't see her face, but Embry knew…his wolf knew…it was her.

Jared and Sam were already making their way up the boardwalk to meet their imprints and help them unload, and Embry trailed tentatively behind them, at a distance.

He saw Jared and Kim embrace, while Sam wrapped his arms around Emily and gave her a kiss. Sam then turned to shake hands with the mystery woman who had accompanied them. She was standing on the other side of the car, her face still hidden from view.

A breeze began to blow, and Embry was finally hit with her scent. HER scent.

He saw Jared making his way around the car to hug that sweet scent's source and heard him say, "Well isn't this a nice surprise! I know someone who's gonna be pretty happy to see you."

The woman stepped around to the front of the car, and Embry felt his wolf reel and his heart stop—sensations he had become all too familiar with this week.

His imprint had arrived. Embry took a deep breath; it was now or never. For whatever reason, the spirits had deemed him worthy of another chance, and he wasn't going to blow it again. He needed Liz in his life, in whatever way she would accept him, and he wasn't going to let her leave tonight without telling her so.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, I feel kind of mean leaving you hanging like that. Leave me a review, and I'll send you a sneak peek at the next chapter! :-)**

**A HUGE thanks to dontcallmeleelee for her beautiful banner for this story! You can see a larger image here: ****tinyurlDOTcomSLASHmco2s93**

**P.S. Welcome to my new readers! Glad you're here.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't own Twilight, or the money associated with it (sadly). ****HUGE thanks to my new beta reader Leelator! **  


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Liz nervously got out of Kim's car, smoothing out her sweater and wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. She was rethinking the whole idea. Kim and Emily had picked her up earlier that day, insisting she come join them at Emily's to cook and get ready for the bonfire together. It had more or less turned into an episode of "What Not to Wear," with Kim and Emily fixing her hair and makeup and insisting she change her outfit. Liz had obliged, but questioned why she was going to so much trouble when pursuing a romantic relationship with Embry was not on her agenda.

"Shush," said Kim. "You're not doing this for Embry—you're doing this for YOU. There's nothing wrong with looking your best. You need a boost of self-confidence!" Emily had agreed enthusiastically, as she came after Liz with a hot curling iron.

So, Liz had allowed them to play makeover artist in between cooking heaps of food for the bonfire. And, she had to say, they had done a nice job. She wasn't one to wear a lot of makeup, but the soft eye shadow brought out her eyes and long lashes, while the touch of pink gloss on her lips made them look smooth and full. She loved the boots Kim had loaned her and felt a little swagger in her step as she helped her friends load the trays of food into the car.

Now that they had arrived at First Beach, however, Liz's self-confidence was waning. What if Embry took one look at her and walked away, or worse, told her to leave? Would he do that? Would he make a scene? If he did, how would she react?

Her attention focused suddenly on the large man who was making his way to Emily, sweeping her up in a bear hug.

"You must be Liz?" the man asked, after putting Emily down. He extended his hand and smiled warmly. "I'm Sam. Glad you could make it."

"Nice to meet you," replied Liz, taking his hand and jumping slightly. It was abnormally warm, just like Embry's. _Embry said it was a Quileute gene thing_, she reminded herself. It didn't make it any less weird. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Well isn't this a nice surprise!" said Jared, as he walked over and enveloped Liz in a hug. "I know someone who's gonna be pretty happy to see you." He looked over at Kim with a raised eyebrow. She looked away innocently, making herself busy with removing the food from the car. Clearly she hadn't mentioned Operation Bring Liz to the Bonfire to Jared.

"Sweetie, will you help me with this?" she asked, smiling.

"Here, I can help too," offered Liz, reaching out to take a stack of containers. Just as she moved to the front of the car, she saw him. He looked as though he had been making his way up to join them, but had stopped short when he recognized her. She couldn't decipher the look on his face. Panic? Anger? Fear? All of the above? She cringed internally. _This was a bad idea_, she thought.

As though he had heard her, Sam lightly placed a hand on her back and whispered, "You did the right thing in coming. He really will be glad to see you."

Liz nodded and began following the group down the boardwalk to the sand.

"Come help us, Embry," called Sam, waving at the man who still stood frozen, several feet away.

Embry felt like his feet were in quicksand. No matter how much his brain told them to move, they stayed frozen in place. _Get it together, idiot_, he admonished himself. Slowly, he managed to put one foot in front of the other and make his way toward the five of them. He couldn't take his eyes off her—she looked beautiful. Well, she always looked beautiful, but for some reason, he was even more struck by her than usual. Maybe it was because he had been missing her so much. Or maybe it was because he was so relieved that she had come and seemed willing to give him another chance.

He smiled tentatively at her. She smiled tentatively back.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Hi," he said softly. "Here, let me help you with this." Embry took the containers from her, walking over to the tables to set them down. "I'm glad you came," he said, turning to look at her.

Liz continued to smile shyly back at him. "I'm glad, too."

"Why don't you come meet the others?" he suggested as he slowly reached for her hand, looking at her questioningly. She nodded, and he led her down to the fire pit where the rest of the wolves and their imprints had congregated.

"Liz!" shouted Jake, jogging over to them with a huge grin on his face. "Good to see you again."

"Howdy, Texas," boomed Quil, who got up from his seat next to Claire and pulled Liz in a bone-crushing hug. "I knew we'd meet again soon."

"Hey, who's this?" Embry heard Seth's voice ask as he, Colin, and Brady made their way up from the beach.

_Have I died and gone to a Greek god convention?_ Liz marveled to herself as she looked up at the huge men surrounding her. _Quileute genes, indeed_.

"Guys, this is Liz. Liz, this is Seth, Colin, and Brady," introduced Embry. Seth grinned like a Cheshire cat, casting a sidelong glance at Embry.

"Excellent!" he said, as he rushed up to shake Liz's hand. "It's nice to finally meet the woman I've heard so much about."

Liz smiled back, finding it impossible not to return Seth's warmth. "Nice to meet you, Seth," she said. "Embry has said a lot of nice things about you, too."

"He'd better," Seth tried to say menacingly, but he couldn't wipe the grin off his face.

"Back off, baby brother. Give the woman her space," came a female voice from behind them.

Liz turned around, and her jaw dropped at the sight of the tall, lean, and muscular Quileute woman standing in front of her. _Apparently the Quileute genes produce Greek goddesses as well_, she thought.

"Liz, this is Leah. She's Seth's sister, as well as Claire and Emily's cousin," said Embry.

"Jesus Christ, thank God you're here," said Leah with a dramatic wave. "Embry's been driving us up the freaking wall all week. Maybe we'll finally all get a break from his obsessive inner monologue."

Seth intervened quickly. "Oh! Hey! This is Sarah, my im—uh, girlfriend," he said quickly, grabbing a young, shy-looking Quileute woman by the hand and dragging her over to meet Liz.

"Hi Sarah, nice to meet you," Liz said, suddenly feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the new faces.

"Okay everyone!" called Emily from the food tables. "It's time to eat! Ladies first!"

"C'mon Liz, let's go get some food before this pack of wolves eats it all," said Kim, grabbing Liz's other hand and tugging. "Sorry, Embry, I'm stealing her away from you for now."

Embry released his hold and Liz blushed, smiling apologetically back at him as she followed Kim.

"Well?" said Kim. "Was I right, or was I right? He's happy to see you!"

"Well, he didn't tell me to go home, so I guess that's a good sign," joked Liz.

"Girl, are you kidding me? I wish you could've seen the look on his face when he saw you walk around that car. He didn't know what to do with himself. I told you coming here was the right thing to do. I love it when I'm right!" She giggled.

Liz shook her head, smiling. As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad that Kim and the rest of the girls had made her come. She just needed to find some time to talk to Embry about what had happened and sort things out.

"Wow, look at all this food," Liz marveled, her attention turned suddenly toward the huge spread. "How are we going to eat all of this?" she asked Kim, who was busy heaping potatoes onto her plate.

"Oh, don't worry about that. The guys have huge appetites," she said, making her way over to the chicken.

"Even with huge appetites, I don't see how the number of people here could eat all of this food," Liz said skeptically.

"Trust me," said Emily with a wink. "There won't be much in the way of leftovers. Seriously, get what you want now before we set the boys loose. There's a reason why we always let the ladies go first. Well, except for Leah," she corrected herself. "Her appetite is just as big as the guys'."

Liz filled her plate and made her way back to Embry, who was saving a seat for her by the fire.

He grinned at her. "You forgot a drink," he noted as she settled onto the blanket next to him and leaned back against the driftwood log. "I'll get one for you when I come back. Soda okay?"

"That would be great," she agreed, smiling at him as he walked away. She saw Rachel sitting across from her with her own plate of food, grinning like a maniac and giving Liz a thumb's up. Liz waved back and drank in the scene. It certainly seemed like she was surrounded by one big, happy family. Hell, the guys even looked like brothers. She found herself highly amused at the good-natured bickering coming from around the tables as they jostled each other for food.

Liz found it interesting that everyone present seemed to be in some kind of relationship. And their relationships…well, they all seemed…intense. Watching Emily with Sam, or Kim with Jared, even the younger guys with their significant others, it was clear that there was a special connection between each pair. _The result of living in a small town?_ Liz wondered. _Or maybe it's because they all grew up together_.

"Here you go," said Embry as he handed her a can of soda, interrupting her thoughts. He sat down next to her, sliding onto the ground the plates of food that had been precariously balanced in his arms. Liz took one look and burst out laughing.

"Are you really going to eat all that?" she asked.

"What? I'm a growing boy!" Embry joked, digging into his potato salad.

"We told you Liz," Kim said, "These guys are bottomless pits." Liz looked around her, noticing that all of the guys—and even Leah—had multiple plates of food, just like Embry. The containers and trays stacked on the tables looked like they had been picked apart by vultures.

Liz shook her head, smiling, and attacked her own plate. They ate and made small talk; that familiar sense of comfort with Embry was coming back. It was beginning to get dark, and the men kept adding logs to the fire, stoking the flames even higher. Liz turned towards Billy, who had cleared his throat and was trying to get everyone's attention.

"Brownie?" Embry offered.

"Thanks, yum," Liz said, taking a bite.

"Hope you're ready for story time," he said. "Billy's about to start telling the tribe's legends."

"I can't wait," Liz said eagerly.

The air was beginning to get chillier, and she shivered. Kim had talked her out of bringing a jacket, and for the life of her she couldn't understand why. It was freezing.

"You don't have a jacket?" Embry asked, looking at her with concern.

"No, I'm okay," she assured him, but she shivered again, giving herself away.

"Here," Embry said, unzipping his hoodie and draping it around her shoulders, just like he had that day on the beach. He was tempted to pull her in closer to him as well, but he didn't want to push his luck. The evening had been going so well; there was no reason to risk ruining it.

"Are you sure you won't get cold?" she asked skeptically. He was wearing nothing more than a t-shirt.

"Don't worry—if Emb gets too cold, he and Seth can snuggle," Paul snarked, overhearing their conversation.

Liz laughed as Embry flipped Paul the bird and Rachel rolled her eyes. She zipped up his hoodie and snuggled into its depths. It smelled good—masculine, comforting—just like Embry. Soon, she found herself drawn in by the timbre of Billy's voice as he recounted the Quileute legends. As he began to speak of the Cold Ones, she shivered again involuntarily, unconsciously drawing closer to Embry.

He looked down, surprised to see her slowly edging closer towards him. For a moment he worried that she was still cold, but a closer look at her face, those wide eyes, and her anxious glances at the dark forest indicated that was entranced by Billy's tales.

Debating whether or not he was making a huge mistake, Embry took a deep breath and slowly lifted his right arm, gently draping it around her shoulders. Liz looked up, startled, and turned towards him. He smiled tentatively, silently asking her if what he had done was okay. She stared at him for a moment, drinking in the warmth of his eyes, and then smiled and relaxed into his embrace. He squeezed her shoulder.

The evening was shaping up to be a pretty good one.

* * *

Liz woke with a start. Where was she? And why was it so hot?

She lifted her head, which was resting on some kind of heated pillow. Except—wait—no, it wasn't a heated pillow; it was Embry's chest. _Eeek!_ She started to move away, only to discover that her mobility was currently being impeded by two large arms encircling her. _Oh my God_, she thought, her cheeks flaming. _I fell asleep right on top of him_.

She looked around. The last thing she remembered was Sue getting up to make some announcements after Billy had finished telling the legends. Up to that point, she had been captivated by his tales, drawn in to the legend of how the Quileutes came to be descended from wolves. Billy was an amazing storyteller; her flesh had crawled with goose bumps as he described the Cold Ones: their red eyes and cold, stone-like bodies, their ruthless thirst for blood, and how they nearly came close to destroying the entire tribe. As he had spoken, she suddenly became hyper aware of the dark woods surrounding them. Feeling a little freaked out, she couldn't help herself from drawing closer to Embry's warmth, and then…well…and then she had apparently fallen asleep. Right on top of him.

Embry had just started to doze off himself when he felt Liz jerk awake. He noticed that she seemed confused as she took in her surroundings, and then alarmed when she realized where she was. Or, more specifically, when she realized where exactly she had fallen asleep. He reluctantly removed his arms from around her and instantly felt a loss as she moved away.

"Hi," he said softly, looking down at her. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Apparently," she said, with a sheepish laugh. "I'm so sorry, Embry! I didn't mean to fall asleep on top of you like that. And in the middle of Sue talking…ugh! I'm so embarrassed. I just…I haven't been sleeping well this week, and I guess it's finally catching up with me..." It might have also had something to do with the warm, comforting presence of the person next to her, she thought to herself.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Embry said, lightly squeezing her shoulder. "You haven't actually been asleep that long. You were awake for all the good stuff, anyways. What did you think about the legends?"

"Billy's an amazing story teller," Liz said. "It all felt so real. I kept waiting for vampires to start coming out of those woods."

Embry swallowed, and forced a laugh. "Well, we have protocols in place to make sure none of them cross our land, so you're safe here," he joked.

"Don't worry, Liz," piped up Quil, who had apparently been listening in with amusement. "If any vampires do show up, Embry will protect you." He winked at Liz and then leaned over to kiss Claire on the cheek as they stood up to leave.

Liz grinned, turning to Embry. "Oh, I see. You'll turn into a wolf and chase them off for me?"

Embry began coughing uncontrollably while Quil laughed loudly, shaking his head. "We're outta here," he said. "Good to see you again, Liz. Don't be a stranger."

"Goodnight," she called, waving, as they walked away. Turning back to Embry, she asked, "So, does Billy always tell the tribal legends?"

"Yeah," Embry said, swallowing again, trying to recover from his coughing spell. "For all intents and purposes, Billy is our chief."

"Really?"

"Yep. I mean, technically the tribe is run by the council, but Billy acts as its head. Quil Ateara Sr.—that's Quil's grandpa—and Sue Clearwater—that's Seth and Leah's mom—also sit on the council."

"Isn't Sue married to Charlie Swan, Bella's dad?" Liz asked. Embry nodded. "Wow," she said. "Everyone is interconnected."

Embry chuckled. "You could say that."

"So, I thought tribal legends were sacred and only supposed to be shared among the tribe itself. No outsiders allowed. How did I get lucky enough to be able to hear them?"

Embry swallowed yet again. Nothing seemed to be getting past her. "Well, exceptions are sometimes made…in this case, uh, you were given special permission to attend, since you know so many of us," he stuttered, hoping she'd buy his white lie.

She considered that for a moment, then nodded. The two were silent for a while, watching as the flames of the bonfire began to die down. The other wolves and their imprints were slowly leaving, saying their goodbyes.

"Where's Kim?" Liz asked suddenly.

"Oh, uh, well, she wasn't feeling well, and Jared brought her home. She asked me if I could give you a ride back. I hope that's okay?" Embry asked, unsure. He didn't mention that he suspected Kim's sudden onset of stomach cramps was really just a ploy to give the two some more quality time together.

"Oh, yeah, that's okay," Liz replied. She felt shy again, for some reason.

"Hey, do you feel like going for a walk on the beach?" Embry asked suddenly, trying to pretend he couldn't hear the smacking noises coming from Colin and his imprint, who were lying underneath their blanket just a few yards away.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," Liz agreed, laughing. Embry stood and reached for her hand, pulling her up. She held on to it for a brief moment as they began to walk, then hesitated, and dropped it. He tried not to let his disappointment show.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was cloudless, for a change, and there were a million stars. As they strolled down the shoreline, Liz paused to look upwards.

"Wow," she said. "That's amazing. You never see stars like that in Texas. Well, in Dallas, anyway. The Hill Country and West Texas are a different story, I guess."

"I've always heard that about living in a big city, one of the downsides," Embry replied. "For me, it's hard to imagine what that would look like. I've grown up with this night sky...I can't imagine it any other way."

"You get used to it, but every time I go out to the country, I'm blown away," Liz admitted. "If it's possible, I think the night sky here is even clearer than in the Texas Hill Country. Must be the Pacific."

The two settled into a comfortable silence, walking at a slow pace, enjoying the sound of the waves hitting the shore. When Embry felt like they had put enough distance between them and the remaining group at the bonfire, he gathered his courage and turned.

"Liz."

She paused and looked up at his face, questioningly.

He continued. "Liz, I…I'm glad you came tonight."

She blushed, looking at her feet for a moment, before returning his gaze. "Me too," she confessed, quietly. "I wasn't sure if I should. I mean, not that I didn't want to come," she said quickly, noticing his face fall at her confession, "but I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything. I wanted to give you your space. Kim is just really hard to say no to when she has her mind set on something."

"Tell me about it." He rolled his eyes, thinking about Kim and Jared sneaking away from the bonfire before Embry even had a chance to argue.

"Embry, I—"

"I owe you—"

They laughed at each other's sudden urgency. "I think I should go first, if you don't mind?" Embry asked. When she nodded, he continued. "Liz, I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have walked out like that last week or ignored your calls. It was rude. Really rude. And I don't want to assume that you care enough about me for your feelings to have been hurt by what I did, but if they were…" He sighed, looking pained. "Then I'm truly, truly sorry. Hurting you is the last thing I ever want to do." Taking her hands, he gently squeezed them and said, "I hope you believe me. And that you can forgive me?"

Liz was silent for a few moments, staring at where their hands were connected, trying to think of what she wanted—no, needed—to say. It was so hard to think when she felt so overwhelmed by the strange electric current that flowed between them.

"Thanks," she said. "I do care about you. I mean, even though we just met, I've enjoyed getting to know you, and I had so much fun with you last week."

"Me too," he agreed softly. "I'm sorry I went and ruined it all."

"No, Embry, you didn't," she argued. "I mean, yeah, I was sad the night ended the way it did, but I'm equally to blame for what happened. I don't think I did a very good job of explaining what I meant."

"You don't have to explain," Embry insisted. "I really do understand. You've been through a lot, Liz. I shouldn't have pressured you like I did. You were upfront about what you had been through, and I pushed and tried to kiss you anyway."

"Embry, stop!" Liz said, holding her hand up. "I'm a grown woman! Did you ever stop to consider that I could have pushed back? That maybe part of me didn't want the day to end, and an even bigger part of me really _wanted_ you to kiss me?"

Embry was silent, drinking in her words. He exhaled, his breath leaving him in a long, drawn-out shudder.

"When I stopped you, it wasn't because I thought you were moving too fast or because I didn't want you to kiss me. It was because I didn't want you to become the rebound guy."

"Look, Liz, I get it. I'm sorry I came off like this douchebag who— "

"No, Embry, you _don't_ get it. Listen to me. I didn't want you to become the rebound guy because I LIKE you. A lot. And I guess what I'm hoping is…is that, in the near future, when I'm ready to date again, and if you haven't already moved on, you'll be…the _right _guy. The right guy in the right place, and at the right time." Liz's voice trailed off to a whisper, her head ducking down to stare at her bare feet. It had taken everything she possessed to make that confession. She didn't know if it would scare him off, but somehow she knew that it needed to be said.

She continued to stare at her toes, flexing them in the cold sand, waiting for his response.

"Liz," said Embry slowly, exhaling a long breath. "Liz, please…look at me?" He cupped her chin and gently lifted it so he could look into her eyes. "Thank you," he said simply. "Thank you for explaining. And, I want you to know, I feel the same way about you. I don't want to be the rebound guy either. I know we just met, but I mean it when I say that I really care about you. This is not some short-term attraction for me. So, for right now, I'll be whatever you want me to be—your friend, your hiking buddy, your personal bodyguard against the Mike Newtons of the world…"

The two of them laughed, easing the tension.

He continued, "And, if or when you decide you'd like to explore something more? Well, that'd be awesome. I promise you, though, until that day, I won't push or pressure you. We go at your pace. Okay?"

"Embry..." Liz sighed in relief. "Thank you. I…I don't know how much time I'll need. And I don't expect you to put your life on hold, waiting for me. But I very much want you in mine, as my friend, if you're willing."

Embry reached out to Liz and pulled her closer to him. "Of course," he whispered. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere. I'm in no rush. I've got loads of time." Liz sighed again and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek into his chest. The two held each other for several moments. The tension and drama of the previous week seemed to flow right out of them, pooling in the sand and washing out to sea.

Resting his cheek on top of her head, Embry breathed deeply and closed his eyes. The stillness of the night, the sound of the waves crashing behind them…both wolf and man were finally at peace. His imprint wanted him in her life. Right now, she needed a friend.

He would be the best one she'd ever had.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! Those two crazy kids finally came to an understanding. Originally this was supposed to be two chapters, but I didn't want to make you wait any longer. **

**What did you think? Loved it? Leave me a review! Hated it? Leave me a review! As a thank you, I'll send you a preview of the next chapter!**

**There's still plenty of drama and romance to come, so please keep reading.**

**Guest: I unfortunately was unable to respond to you—ffic only lets authors respond to people who have an account. Hope the update came quickly enough!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: HUGE thanks to my beta reader, leelator! Go check out her story "How to Seduce a Werewolf"...rumor has it she is working on updating!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

* * *

"Paul! Quit cheating, you ass!" Seth bellowed from across the table.

"What? I'm not cheating!"

"I call bullshit!" Jake cawed, slapping his cards down. "Dude. We ALL saw you look at Liz's cards. Don't even try to deny it."

Paul looked expectantly at Jared, waiting for him to come to his defense.

"Sorry, man. We all saw you. You're busted," Jared said, holding up his hands and laughing.

"I'm offended that you assholes would even _insinuate_ I'm cheating," Paul whined. "Not to throw anyone under the bus or anything, but I was making sure Liz got dealt a good hand 'cause I caught Clearwater here swapping out her cards earlier."

"Wh- what?" Seth asked, his face scrunched in confusion. "I didn't—"

"Cheaters never win, Seth," Paul interrupted, tsking and shaking his head.

Seth's expression went from shocked to indignant, and finally to realization. "You're so full of shit, Lahote! YOU swapped out her cards! The only cheater here is you!"

"Paul, quit being a douche and leave Seth alone," Jake said, deciding to intervene. "And keep your eyes and hands on your own fucking cards."

Triumphant—despite Jake's scolding—Paul smirked and slinked an arm around Liz's shoulders, pulling her close. "Don't worry, hon. I've got your back," he said with a wink and a sidelong glance at Embry, who narrowed his eyes at him. Paul waggled his eyebrows back.

Liz laughed, elbowing Paul away with a grin and tossing her cards in the pile. Nights at the rez were a routine part of her life since making up with Embry at the bonfire six weeks earlier. It was one of her favorite parts of the week, just the rowdy crowd of them eating, playing cards, watching movies, and hanging out. It was almost like being part of a big, crazy family, or at least, it certainly seemed that way to her. She felt quickly accepted by everyone—even Paul, who treated her like his little sister and threw her shit at every opportunity. Throwing it right back at him was her favorite sport, and she could always count on the other guys to assist her.

Liz was also amazed by how quickly she and Embry fell into a comfortable rhythm. True to his word, since the bonfire, he hadn't pressured her for anything more than friendship—and she'd never had a friend quite like him. In addition to bringing her into his social circle and humoring her insatiable need to explore every inch of Olympic National Park, he was an invaluable ally in helping her sort out her aunt's house. Whether helping her make decisions about what to toss out ("No one needs _that _many collector spoons, Liz,") or tackling some long-overdue repairs ("Did she _ever_ change the heating filter?"), Liz didn't know what she'd do without him.

In exchange, she always offered Embry a home-cooked meal, although he often ended up working right alongside her in the kitchen. Afterwards, they'd watch a movie, or just hang out in her living room and chat, or read in front of the fire. She was always careful to maintain those boundaries of friendship, but she couldn't deny it any longer: She was falling for him. Hard.

There was one thing, though, that was bothering her. Although she couldn't quite pinpoint the reason why, she got the sense that Embry was keeping something from her. It was little things, like unexpectedly canceling plans or showing up to her house in the middle of the day with no car. Once she even saw him shirtless and barefoot at Second Beach when it was freezing outside—and when he was supposed to be at work. He always offered a believable explanation, but, call it her sixth sense, she knew something else was up.

Liz even briefly wondered if he was seeing someone else, which would explain some of the secrecy, but the idea left her conflicted. She knew he was perfectly within his rights to date if he wanted to; they were just friends, after all. But still, the thought of sharing him with another woman made her heart sink. So far, she had just tried not to dwell on it, especially on nights when she was having fun and surrounded by people she was growing to love.

"You know what, guys?" Liz said as she picked up her glass and stood from the table. "Cards aren't really my thing. I'm gonna go see what Emily and Kim are doing in the kitchen. You coming, Rachel?" She gave Embry a quick wink, and he grinned back at her.

"I'm right behind you," Rachel replied, swatting Paul on the back of his head as she walked past him. He caught her hand before she could pull it away and kissed it, gazing up at her with the most innocent expression he could muster. Shaking her head and laughing, Rachel pulled away and linked arms with Liz. "Come on, girl. Let's leave these boys to their ridiculousness."

"And once again, Paul Lahote chases off the ladies," Liz heard Quil say as they left the room.

"Hey, you two. It getting too rough in there?" Kim asked as Rachel and Liz entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with Emily, who had returned from putting Levi and Allie to bed. The two were drinking coffee and nibbling on a stash of brownies.

"Paul got busted for being a big, fat cheater," Rachel said, shaking her head and grabbing a couple of mugs from the cabinet. "Poor Seth. I thought he was going to pop a vein. He is so protective of you, Liz. I think Paul likes riling him up on purpose. Coffee?" she asked, offering her a mug.

"Thanks," Liz said, picking up the pot from the counter. She poured a cup for Rachel and one for herself, then pulled out a chair and sat down next to Emily. "I adore Seth," she said. "He's always been so sweet to me, and he and Sarah make such a nice pair. I was bummed she had to work tonight."

"Of course Seth loves you," Emily said. "Embry is like his brother, and he knows how important you are to him. He's always going to have your back."

"How did they get to be so close?" Liz asked.

"Embry was there when Seth pha—when Seth was going through a really hard time," Kim said, stumbling over the words. "He was about 15, and his dad had just died of a heart attack. His mom was beside herself, and Leah wasn't really there for him either … she was dealing with a lot of heavy stuff herself. Embry took Seth under his wing and stood in as the big brother he'd never had. I don't think Seth's ever forgotten that."

"That's sweet," Liz said, finding herself touched by both the story and Embry's kind heart. As for Seth—she could certainly relate to losing a parent; her own father had passed away when she was a child, and her mother had been such a mess. A big sister or brother stepping in for her would've been nice.

"So, speaking of Embry … " Rachel began.

"Yes, how are things going with him, Liz?" Emily asked.

"Uh … good. Things are going good," she answered, trying to be evasive and knowing it was a losing battle. There were no secrets among these women. As annoying as it was, though, she also found it endearing.

"Nope, you're not getting away with that," Kim said, wagging her finger. "Spill it, sister. We know that things are good. That part is obvious. What we don't know is whether you still think there's a chance for you two to be more than friends. We want the dirt!"

_Count on Kim to get right to the point_, Liz thought. "I … I'm feeling ready to be more than friends. But I'm not sure if it's time yet!" she protested amid the squeals of delight from the other women. "I mean, I don't think of Roger—my ex—that often anymore. I don't really care what he and that slutty hometown honey of his are up to. Being here in Washington, and with all of you, has really helped. I'm just too busy and happy to dwell on them."

"So, what's the problem, then?" Emily probed.

"There's not a problem. I just think that Embry and I are taking things slowly, and … to be honest, I don't know if that's something he even wants anymore. I've actually been wondering lately if he's seeing someone else." Liz leaned over to pour milk in her coffee, missing the glances exchanged among Emily, Kim, and Rachel.

"Seeing someone else? That's impossible," Rachel said. "What makes you think that?"

"Nothing, really," Liz admitted. "It's more of a feeling I get, like he's hiding something. You know, canceling plans out of the blue or showing up at random places dressed all weird when he's supposed to be working. Don't get me wrong—he's certainly allowed to date. I told him upfront that I didn't expect him to wait for me to get my shit together. It's possible he just doesn't feel the same way about me as he did before."

Kim, Emily, and Rachel once again exchanged glances and promptly burst out laughing.

"What?" Liz asked, confused.

"Hon, I'm sorry we're all laughing at you, but come on. Are you aware of how much time you two spend together? Do you really think some girl he was dating would be okay with that? And do you ever pay attention to the way he looks at you? He wants you! He's just not a male pig—unlike some guys we know," Rachel said, rolling her eyes.

"I agree with Rach," Emily said. "Liz, I've known Embry for years now. We all have. He's never been like this about any other woman. If something _is_ going on with him, he'll tell you when the time is right, although I seriously doubt it's related to him seeing someone else."

"Yeah, there's no way that's the case," Kim agreed.

"But Kim, how do you know?" Liz asked.

"I just know. After everything that's happened between you two, I think he's just being careful not to cross any boundaries. He'll stay safely in the friend zone for as long as you want him to, but believe me … the minute you tell him you're ready for more, he'll be over the moon."

Liz pondered their words. Rachel brought up a good point: What girl would be okay with her new boyfriend spending so much time with another woman? And as far as him … _wanting_ her … was she just completely oblivious to what everyone else seemed to think was clear as day? She had to admit, the idea of being with Embry in that way made her feel all tingly inside; it was a little overwhelming. Something told her that sooner or later—and probably sooner rather than later—she and Embry would need to talk.

* * *

"So, Embry? You and Liz still in the 'friend zone'?" Paul asked, once he was sure that she and Rachel were out of earshot. His smirk stretched lazily across his face.

"If you mean, am I respecting her wishes and the rules of the imprint by being what she needs me to be at this time? Then yes, Paul. Yes, I'm still in the friend zone," Embry retorted, shuffling cards.

"Lay off, Paul," Jake warned.

"What? I can't ask Embry how things are going with his woman?"

"It's not what you're asking, Paul. It's your dickish manner of asking it," Sam said. "You know what their situation is."

"What I want to know," Brady spoke up, "is when you're going to tell her? There's only so long you can hide the fact that all of us turn into six-feet furry beasts with sharp teeth and claws.'"

"Don't forget the whole 'destroying vampires for fun' part," Quil added.

"Yeah, Embry, in all seriousness, I've been wondering the same thing myself," Jake said. "Do you have a plan in place? Or a time frame? It seems like your relationship is getting to the point where you really need to tell her soon or, worst case, she's going to find out by accident and be totally freaked out, and best case, she'll feel like you've been lying to her this whole time."

"Uh, he _has_ been lying," Paul reminded them, rolling his eyes.

"You know what I mean," Jake said. "She probably already knows something's up. The longer he goes without telling her, the more suspicious she'll get, and, once she does finally find out the truth, she'll wonder why he took so long to tell her. Then she'll start wondering what else he might be hiding. That might be more upsetting than the whole wolf thing."

"Guys, I know I need to tell her. I KNOW," Embry said, sighing and rubbing his hands over his face. "And yes, she's already suspicious. Last week, she ran into me at Second Beach right after I'd finished patrol. She couldn't understand why I was wearing only cutoffs when it was 50 degrees outside, or why I wasn't at work when that was my excuse for leaving earlier."

"Dude … you gotta be more careful," Quil said, shaking his head.

"No, it has nothing to do with Embry being more careful," Sam interjected. "Embry needs to tell her the truth. Seriously, Embry, it's time. Jake's right. No one's denying how hard the conversation will be, but she's heard the legends, and she cares about you. Trust in the imprint. Have faith that, however you tell her, she'll be ready to hear it."

The men went back to their card game, and Embry went back to his thoughts. He knew they were right; he had to tell Liz soon. In fact, he was surprised that she hadn't yet confronted him about keeping secrets from her. He hated being dishonest…it would all be so much easier once she was in the loop. Maybe her knowing his secret could even move their relationship to the next level. _Or end it right then and there_, he thought.

Embry sighed. He would tell her. He _had_ to tell her. _I just need a little more time_. _Just a little more time, and I'll tell her everything_.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet," Liz said to Embry on the drive home. Granted, it was late and they were both tired, but it was unusual for him to be so untalkative.

"I'm sorry. I know. Just thinking about work. We have a couple big jobs coming in this week and Jake and Quil were stressing about it tonight. Did you have fun? In spite of Paul being a big, cheating asshole?" he asked, grinning.

"Yeah, just wait. I'll get Paul next time. He forgets that Rachel is my friend. I've got the inside connection to his dirty laundry."

"Damn, remind me never to cheat at cards with you."

"That's right, buddy. You lie to me, you pay the price."

Embry swallowed; her words went right to his gut. _Maybe now is a good—_

"Speaking of Paul, I'm surprised Seth didn't clobber him tonight," Liz said.

"Seth really likes you," Embry said, nodding. "In fact, if he and Sarah weren't impr— uh, so connected at the hip, I might even be a little jealous." He gave Liz a pointed glance, causing her to laugh.

"Don't worry. You're still first in the long line of men who want to date me," she said, reaching over and patting his arm. But when she saw the disturbed look on his face, she wanted to kick herself. Did she embarrass him? Freak him out? Or worse, was he thinking about someone else?

Before she could say anything to rectify the situation, Embry was pulling into her driveway. Turning off the ignition, he sat quietly for a moment. Finally, he took a deep breath and turned to her.

"Liz, look. I need to tell you something. I—" His voice cut off suddenly as he gazed into the yard. "Did you leave your gate open?"

"No, I always lock it when I leave. Why?" she asked, confused. She turned to where Embry was staring. Not only was the gate wide open, the latch was completely shredded and dangling by a thin, metal thread.

"What? That was made of steel! How did it just rip off like that? Do you think a bear did it? Or a gust of wind? Or ..." Her voice trailed off as she realized how implausible either of those scenarios were.

Embry's heart began to pound. He had a suspicion about what had ripped off that latch. No human could have managed such a feat without some serious tools. "Stay here," he said, opening his door and stepping out of the truck. The sickly sweet odor hit him like a ton of bricks, and a shudder traveled up his spine.

Vampire.

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh...sorry to leave you guys hanging like that! Things are gonna start moving pretty quickly around here, action wise. If you can't wait 'til the next update, leave me a review and I'll send you a preview of what's to come!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: YIKES! On Sunday night my computer crashed, taking with it all of my files, including this story and all the chapters I've written! Miraculously, it rebooted long enough for me to pull this off (along with some other files that comprised hours worth of work) before dying again. I'm now working on an ancient dinosaur until my other one gets fixed. Send me good computer thoughts!**

**Once again, huge thanks to Leelator my wonderbeta!**

* * *

"Embry, what's wrong?" Liz exclaimed as he scrambled back into the truck, shaking. He threw the stick shift into reverse and floored the accelerator.

"Someone broke in," he said, taking a deep breath and focusing all his energy on controlling the tremors coursing through his body. He had to get her out of there.

"Someone— Wait, what? What do you mean? What did you see?" As they reached the end of her driveway and backed into the road, a realization hit her. "What about Marble? We have to go back and get him! Embry, STOP!" Liz frantically unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door handle.

"Liz, no!" he cried, reaching across with his long arm and pulling her hand away. "We have to get out of here." He let go of her and quickly shifted into drive, pressing the accelerator to the floor once again.

"Embry, you're scaring me. What if something happened—"

"I'm sorry, Liz. It's okay. He'll be okay. I didn't see anything out there, but I didn't want to stick around. I'm taking you back to the rez and then we'll figure it out, all right?" Embry pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jacob's number, willing his fingers to stop trembling over the keypad.

"Emb? Man, what are you calling so late for? We were just about to go to bed," Jake said, sounding tired and annoyed.

"Jake! Liz's house … break-in … I need …" Embry couldn't find his words, especially with Liz sitting right next to him.

Luckily, Jake was able to read between the lines. "Break-in … you mean a blood sucker? At Liz's house? What the FUCK?" He exhaled with a huff. "I'll phase and send over Paul and Seth. They're patrolling right now but probably haven't made their way east yet … and they wouldn't have gone past the treaty line. Bring Liz over here, and you can double back to check things out with them."

"Embry, why are you talking to Jake? Shouldn't we call the police?" Looking confused, Liz pulled out her own cell phone and began to dial the Forks police department.

"No! I mean, it's okay. Jake's calling him for us. I, uh, I just called Jake first because I thought Charlie might've been at their house … he took Bella to dinner tonight." Liz looked at him, brow furrowed, and reluctantly put her phone away. He breathed a sigh of relief. _A little white lie wouldn't hurt, would it? _Charlie was in on their secret, and he eventually _would_ get involved to make it all seem routine. But really, for the moment, it wasn't safe for him to be there either.

"Well I should go back there to meet him," Liz said, shaking her head. "Or at least drive to the station to file a report."

"Liz, don't worry about that right now. I'm gonna bring you over to Jake's and head back to your house to meet Charlie and get Marble. I promise it's going to be okay. You're safe." Embry kept repeating that mantra over and over to himself, hoping that if he said it enough, he'd believe it.

Twenty minutes later, they finally pulled into Jacob and Bella's driveway, where Jake was already waiting for them outside. He walked over to the passenger door of Embry's truck and helped a shaken Liz out of the vehicle. "Hey honey, you doing ok? Sounds like you had quite the scare."

Getting out himself, Embry rushed around to her side and desperately enfolded her in his arms. Imagining all the things that could have happened, he didn't want to let her go. She seemed to feel the same way.

After a few minutes, Jake cleared his throat. Embry looked up. "Any word?"

"No trace of anything," Jacob replied. "They're searching the perimeter. It seems like, whoever it was, they were there earlier today. The scent was recent, but not fresh."

"The scent? They have dogs out searching?" Liz asked, looking puzzled. "How did they get there so fast?"

"Uh, Charlie called in a K-9 unit … they were already nearby," Jake said quickly. "Emb, look, you should go on and meet them. Don't worry, man, I'll keep her safe." He put an arm around Liz and clapped Embry's shoulder, urging him to get a move on.

"Be careful," Liz said. "Are you sure you should … maybe Charlie can call when—"

"Liz, I'll be all right. Don't worry," Embry said, trying to reassure her. "I'll stay in the truck until it's clear and get an update. Then I'll collect Marble and head back this way."

Liz sighed. "Okay. Text me when you can."

"I promise."

"Come on inside, Liz. Bells made you some tea," Jake said. He turned to Embry. "Be careful, man. Keep us posted."

"Will do." And with that, Embry gave Liz one last hug goodbye, got back in his truck, and turned down the driveway like a bat out of hell.

* * *

Embry drove until he was sure he was out of sight, then pulled the car over to the side of the road and phased.

_Paul, Seth, what's going on? What have you found out?_

_Not much, man_, Paul said. _Whoever this bloodsucker was, he or she came and went a few hours ago_.

_Did it get in the house?_

_Looks like it. Didn't do any damage, but the lock's broken, and it reeks._

_The dog … ?_

_He's fine_, Seth interjected. _Seemed a little spooked, but otherwise fine. How far away are you?_

_About five minutes_. Embry barreled down the road, willing his legs to go faster. It wasn't long before he caught Paul and Seth's scent, the stench of vampire permeating underneath.

_How far have you two followed the trail?_

_About 20 miles, but it cut to the West_, Paul said. _Looks like it made its way to the ocean_.

_Fuck!_ Embry swore. They were going to lose it. _Circle back around when you can't pick it up anymore. We'll meet at Liz's house_.

_Will do_, Seth said.

Embry finally arrived at her house. Phasing back, he pulled on his cut-offs and went to inspect the gate. The metal latch was shredded to bits, clearly not the work of any human. He moved towards the front door, which was closed but had been tampered with as well. It pushed open easily, the lock essentially useless.

"Hey buddy. It's okay," he said to a whining Marble, who came running to greet the familiar face. The scent of leech was a few hours old, but it overpowered Embry just the same. _What the fuck was a vampire doing here?_

He pulled out his cell phone, which was carefully tucked inside the pocket of his shorts, and dialed Jake's number. "What's going on, man?" Jake asked, picking up after the first ring.

"We lost it. Paul and Seth were on the trail, but they think it went to the coast. They're probably on their way back now. Nothing seems touched or damaged in the house, but it was definitely in here. How's Liz?"

"Better. She and Bella are in the kitchen drinking tea and talking. Bella's trying to take her mind off things. What the hell? Why Liz? Why her house? Do you think it was random?"

"I don't know. Seems odd to me that it entered the house and didn't do anything. Maybe it was just passing through and left when it realized there were no humans around?"

"Maybe," Jake said, his tone full of doubt. "Regardless, we'll be stepping up patrols 'round the clock 'til we know for sure the threat's passed. I alerted the rest of the pack and might also get in touch with Carlisle … see if he has any thoughts or knows something." Even though the Cullens left Forks years ago—after Bella ended things with Edward—Jake and Carlisle kept in touch on an as-needed basis.

"Thanks, man. 'Preciate it."

"We'd do it for any of our imprints. I'm just glad Liz lives near the reservation … that'll make it easier on us and safer for her. And look, sorry to sound like a broken record, but now you _have_ to tell her about us. Things are about to get complicated."

"I know, I know," Embry said, shaking his head. "Actually, I started to tell her tonight, before everything happened. I just … I don't want to freak her out any more than she already is. If she's this scared thinking a human broke into her house, how's she gonna feel when she finds out it was a fucking _vampire_? And that we all turn into goddamned wolves? You remember her at the bonfire, man. She was freaked out just by the legends."

"Doesn't matter, man. She needs to know. And the longer you wait, the harder it's gonna be."

Embry sighed. "I'll tell her soon. Promise. Look, will you tell her Marble's fine? I'm bringing him back with me. Let her know she's staying with me tonight."

"Will do," Jake said. "Let me know if you hear anything else from Paul and Seth."

"Okay. Thanks." Embry hung up the phone and went back outside. A noise to his right made him turn, just in time to see his pack brothers phasing beyond the trees.

"It definitely escaped to the ocean," Seth said, his tone bitter. "We were so close."

"Have you talked to Jake? What did he say?" Paul asked.

"Not much. He's just as confused about all this as we are. He told the pack and is gonna talk to Carlisle. Sounds like everyone'll be stepping up patrols as well. I'll cover as many shifts as I need to make sure she's protected."

"We all will, bro," Seth said, patting him on the back. "We look out after our own."

* * *

Embry pulled into Jake's driveway about an hour later, feeling drained. He, Paul, and Seth had run one more circuit together, coming up with nothing. He had eventually headed back to his truck, leaving Paul and Seth to finish their regular route.

Liz was draped over the couch, dozing off, when Embry walked in. Marble was right at his heels and rushed past him, jumping on the couch and licking her face.

"Marble! Oh my God, Marble," she said, sitting up and burying her face in his fur, holding him tightly. Finally, she looked at Embry and launched herself into his arms. "Are you all right? Did they find anything? Were there fingerprints? Jake said … "

"Shhh, honey, it's okay," Embry said, gripping her waist with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. He hated lying to her, but he had to. "Charlie and his guys searched the place but didn't find anything, and nothing was stolen. They think Marble probably chased whoever it was off."

"I'm scared, Embry."

"I know you are, honey. You can stay with me tonight, and tomorrow the guys and I will fix your gate and door. Charlie's gonna have his men run regular patrols around your house. I promise you won't have to worry."

"Thanks," Liz said. Her voice was soft as she stared at Embry with a tender look in her eyes. "Thanks for being such a good … friend."

Embry winced slightly at her word choice, turning it into a nod. Of course he was her friend; he'd be whatever she needed him to be … but that didn't mean he wasn't hoping for more.

He grabbed Liz's sweater, and the two of them said goodnight to Jake; Bella was already in bed.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up to Embry's house. It was small, more like a cabin, really, but it was his, and he was proud of it. Liz had been there only a handful of times, usually when she picked him up to go on one of their many outdoor excursions.

"Can we watch TV or something for a bit?" Liz asked as they went inside. "I need to distract myself before I go to bed."

"Of course," he said. "Why don't we put on a movie? You pick. I'll get us some food."

Liz made her way into the small living room and knelt in front of his shelf of DVDs. Looking through the selection, she pulled one out, handing it to Embry when he returned with a bowl of popcorn and two sodas. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking," she said, laughing and settling onto the couch.

"_Airplane!_" He chuckled, tossing a piece of popcorn to Marble, who caught it in the air. "Great choice. Surely a little Leslie Nielson will take your mind off of things."

"Of course it will. And don't call me 'Shirley.'" The two laughed at their banter, and Embry joined Liz on the couch. The urge to pull her into his lap and hold her close was overwhelming. His wolf still felt unsettled; he needed some sort of physical contact with his imprint to be reassured that she really was ok.

Instead, Embry tried to distract himself with the movie, laughing at Liz as she recited his favorite lines. As the film progressed, he noticed her edging towards him, as though she were unconsciously seeking out contact as well. It wasn't long before she was leaning into his side. He slowly slung his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, lingering there for a moment. His wolf huffed a sigh of relief.

Soon she grew quiet, falling asleep against him. Trying not to disturb her, he scooped her up from the couch and carried her to his room, carefully placing her on the bed and pulling up the covers. Just as he was grabbing a pillow to take with him to the couch, Liz caught his hand. "Embry … will you … will you please stay with me?" she whispered.

Embry swallowed. "Here? With you?"

"I don't want to be by myself tonight. And I don't want to kick you out of your bed. Please, stay," she pleaded.

"A- all right, sure." He nodded, then methodically kicked off his shoes and removed his shirt. He crawled into bed beside her, feeling his brain dissolve into mush as she turned and snuggled into him. _Is this for real?_

"Thank you, for everything you did tonight," she said. "I feel safe with you … for the first time in a long time, I feel safe."

Embry wrapped his arms around her and leaned back, pulling her into his chest. His fingers found their way to her hair and entangled themselves in the strands, tracing them from root to tip. "That's all I've ever wanted," he said softly, but she was already asleep.

He lay awake like that for a long time, relishing the feel of her in his arms and pondering the meaning of her words. As horrible as the evening was, something had definitely shifted between them. His wolf felt more resolved than ever to protect her, no matter the cost.

Eventually he drifted off as well, into one of the best nights of sleep he'd ever had.

* * *

**A/N: Ok. If you haven't seen ****_Airplane!_****, then 1. you probably didn't get the jokes, and 2. you must go see it immediately. One of the funniest movies, ever. **

**I know a lot of you were expecting him to phase in front of her and divulge his secret that way ... sorry to pull the rug out from under you! I love your reviews. They really motivate me to keep writing, which means I can update more frequently. :-) And, as a thank you, I'm always happy to send a sneak peek of what's to come!**


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